The Unique Value of a Large-Scale First-Gen United Community
A substantial body of research conducted over the past few decades has compared first-generation college students (FGCS) to their non-first-generation peers. This work has uncovered significant disparities between these groups in accessing, persisting in, and graduating from college (Ives & Castillo-Montoya, 2020). However, most studies have relied on small qualitative samples or dated national datasets. First Gen United’s vision of building a nationwide FGCS community at scale offers exciting new opportunities to deepen understanding of this population and enhance supports through large-scale data collection and knowledge sharing.
Current FGCS research relies heavily on qualitative studies with small samples. For example, one study explored experiences of guilt over surpassing families’ educational attainment through interviews with fewer than 10 FGCS (Covarrubias & Fryberg, 2015). While providing rich insights, such small samples are not generalizable to the millions of FGCS in higher education. Larger-scale quantitative studies have mainly used older national datasets, such as the NPSAS circa 1990 (Nunez & Cuccaro-Alamin, 1998). More current, large-scale data would reveal whether long-standing disparities in access, academic achievement, and graduation persist today and assist in targeting supports.
A massive FGCS community would facilitate collecting up-to-date, generalizable data on the demographics, needs, barriers, and outcomes of contemporary FGCS. With tens of thousands of members across the country, surveys could gather data on FGCS’ backgrounds, campus experiences, supports, challenges, belonging, achievement, and outcomes. Researchers could segment data to uncover variations across institutional types, regions, or demographics. Longitudinal tracking would reveal changes over students’ college journeys. Descriptive and correlational analyses could identify today’s pressing needs. With a community orders of magnitude larger than previous FGCS studies, findings would be far more generalizable and actionable.
In addition to quantitative data collection, First Gen United could provide an invaluable platform for crowdsourcing qualitative insights directly from FGCS. Members could share stories, struggles, advice, and goals through forums, interviews, and focus groups. Gathering perspectives from thousands of diverse FGCS would capture the true collective experience of navigating higher education as pioneers. Findings could provide vivid, timely insights to complement quantitative data.
This two-pronged, large-scale data collection approach would yield multiple benefits. It would support generalizable profiling of the contemporary FGCS population. Researchers could analyze pain points and identify trends to guide institutional improvements and policy reforms. Practitioners could design more evidence-based, tailored supports. Funders could strategically direct resources toward pressing needs. By generating knowledge from and for the FGCS community, First Gen United could propel research, practice, and advocacy around this growing population to new levels.
References:
Covarrubias, R., & Fryberg, S. A. (2015). Movin’on up (to college): First-generation college students’ experiences with family achievement guilt. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 21(3), 420.
Ives, J., & Castillo-Montoya, M. (2020). First-generation college students as academic learners: A systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 90(2), 139–178.
Nunez, A. M., & Cuccaro-Alamin, S. (1998). First-generation students: Undergraduates whose parents never enrolled in postsecondary education. Statistical Analysis Report. Postsecondary Education Descriptive Analysis Reports.
