Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The authors use data known at the time of initial enrollment to explore the first-year GPAs and second-year retention of first-generation (FGCS) and non-first-generation (non-FGCS) college students. The setting was a diverse, public, urban doctoral institution (approximately 50% FGCS and 30% minority). Multiple linear and logistic regressions run separately for FGCSs and non-FGCSs, included variables related to financial, academic, integration, and demographic factors. While FGCSs had lower retention and significantly lower GPAs than non-FGCSs, the pattern of predictive factors varied by group. Greater academic preparation was significant in all analyses. Minority students were more likely to persist than White students. Out-of-state residency was a predictor of higher GPA, but also a predictor of FGCS attrition. The authors discuss the value of using data known upon admission and suggest future research to explore how institutional composition may influence FGCS success.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

ACT, Inc. (2008). National collegiate retention and persistence to degree rates. Retrieved February 16, 2011, from: www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/retain_2008.pdf.

Aud

Fox

& KewalRamani

(2010). Status and trends in the education of racial and ethnic groups (NCES 2010–015). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 11, 2011 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010015.pdf.

Billson

J. M.

& Terry

M. B.

(1982). In search of the silken purse: Factors in attrition among first-generation students. College and University, 58(1), 57–75.

Brown

H. E.

& Burkhardt

R. L.

(1999, June). Predicting student success: The relative impact of ethnicity, income, and parental education. Paper presented at the Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Seattle, WA.

Bui

K. T.

(2002). First-generation college students at a four-year university: Background characteristics, reasons for pursuing higher education, and first-year experiences. College Student Journal, 36(1), 3–11.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010). Education pays. Retrieved May 19, 2010, from: http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm.

Chen

(2005). First generation students in postsecondary education: A look at their college transcripts (NCES 2005–171). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Collier

P. J.

& Morgan

D. L.

(2008). “Is that paper really due today?”: Differences in first-generation and traditional college students' understandings of faculty expectations. Higher Education, 55, 425–446.

Duggan

(2001, November). Factors influencing the first-year persistence of first generation college students. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the North East Association for Institutional Research, Cambridge, MA.

10.

Education Resources Institute. (1997). Missed opportunities: A new look at disadvantaged college aspirants. Boston, MA: Author.

11.

Eitel

S. J.

& Martin

(2009). First-generation female college students' financial literacy: Real and perceived barriers to degree completion. College Student Journal, 43(2), 616–630.

12.

Fallon

M. V.

(1997). The school counselor's role in first generation students' college plans. School Counselor, 44, 384–393.

13.

Gibbons

M. M.

& Borders

L. D.

(2010). Prospective first-generation college students: A social-cognitive perspective. Career Development Quarterly, 58(3), 194–208.

14.

Hahs-Vaughan

(2004). The impact of parents' education level on college students: An analysis using the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study 1990-92/94. Journal of College Student Development, 45(5), 483–500.

15.

Hellman

C. M.

& Harbeck

D. J.

(1997). Academic self-efficacy: Highlighting the first-generation student. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 4(2), 165–169.

16.

Horn

& Nuñez

(2000). Mapping the road to college: First-generation students' math track, planning strategies, and context of support (NCES Publication No. 2000-153). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

17.

Inman

W. E.

& Mayes

L. D.

(1999). The importance of being first: Unique characteristics of first-generation community college students. Community College Review, 26(4), 3–22.

18.

Ishitani

T. T.

(2003). A longitudinal approach to assessing attrition behavior among first-generation students: Time-varying effects of pre-college characteristics. Research in Higher Education, 44, 433–449.

19.

Ishitani

T. T.

(2006). Studying attrition and degree completion behavior among first-generation college students in the United States. The Journal of Higher Education, 77(5), 861–885.

20.

Johnson

(2008). Enrollment, persistence and graduation of in-state students at a public research university: Does high school matter? Research in Higher Education, 49, 776–793.

21.

Kim

Y. K.

& Sax

L. J.

(2009). Student-faculty interaction in research universities: Differences by student gender, race, social class, and first-generation status. Research in Higher Education, 50, 437–459.

22.

London

H. B.

(1989). Breaking away: A study of first-generation college students and their families. American Journal of Education, 97(1), 144–170.

23.

London

H. B.

(1992). Transformations: Cultural challenges faced by first-generation college students. In Cohen

A. M.

& Brawer

F. B.

(Series Eds.) & L. S. Zwerling, & H. B. London (Eds.), New directions for community colleges: No. 80. Firstgeneration students: Confronting the cultural issues (pp. 5–11). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

24.

Longwell-Grice

& Longwell-Grice

(2008). Testing Tinto: How do retention theories work for first-generation, working-class students? Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 9(4), 407–420.

25.

Lotkowski

V. A.

Robbins

S. B.

& Noeth

R. J.

(2004). The role of academic and non-academic factors in improving college retention: ACT Policy Report. Iowa City, IA: ACT.

26.

Lohfink

Martin M.

& Paulsen

M. B.

(2005). Comparing the determinants of persistence for first-generation and continuing-generation students. Journal of College Student Development, 46(4), 409–428.

27.

Martínez

J. A.

Sher

K. J.

Krull

J. L.

& Wood

P. J.

(2009). Blue-collar scholars?: Mediators and moderators of university attrition in first-generation college students. Journal of College Student Development, 50(1), 87–103.

28.

Noble

& Sawyer

(2002). Predicting different levels of academic success in college using high school GPA and ACT composite score (ACT Research Report Series, 2002–4). Iowa City, IA: ACT.

29.

Nuñez

A. M.

(1998, November). First-generation students: A longitudinal analysis of educational and early labor market outcomes. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Miami, FL.

30.

Nuñez

& Cuccaro-Alamin

(1998). First-generation students: Undergraduates whose parents never enrolled in postsecondary education. Statistical analysis report. Postsecondary education descriptive analysis reports. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

31.

Pascarella

E. T.

Pierson

C. T.

Wolniak

G. C.

& Terenzini

P. T.

(2004). First-generation college students: Additional evidence on college experiences and outcomes. Journal of Higher Education, 75(3), 249–284.

32.

Piorkowski

G. K.

(1983). Survivor guilt in the university setting. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 61, 620–622.

33.

Pratt

P. A.

& Skaggs

C. T.

(1989). First generation college students: Are they at greater risk for attrition than their peers? Research in Rural Education, 6(2), 31–34.

34.

Richardson

R. C.

Jr. & Skinner

E. F.

(1992). Helping first-generation minority students achieve degrees. In Cohen

A. M.

& Brawer

F. B.

(Series Eds.) & Zwerling

L. S.

, & London

H. B.

(Vol. Eds.) New directions for community colleges: No. 80. First-generation students: Confronting the cultural issues (pp. 29–43). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

35.

Riehl

R. J.

(1994). The academic preparation, aspirations, and first-year performance of first-generation students. College and University, 70(1), 14–19.

36.

Ryu

(2010). Minorities in higher education: 24th status report. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

37.

Smith

M. J.

(2008). College choice process of first generation black female students: Encouraged to what end? Negro Educational Review, 59(3–4), 147–161.

38.

Terenzini

P. T.

Rendon

L. I.

Upcraft

M. L.

Millar

S. B.

Allison

K. W.

Gregg

P. L.

(1994). The transition to college: Diverse students, diverse stories. Research in Higher Education, 35(1), 57–73.

39.

Terenzini

P. T.

Springer

Yaeger

P. M.

Pascarella

E. T.

& Nora

(1996). First-generation college students: Characteristics, experiences, and cognitive development. Research in Higher Education, 37(1), 1–22.

40.

Tinto

(1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

41.

U.S. Department of Education. (1998). Higher Education Act of 1965, 1998 Higher Education Act Amendments, Subpart 2—Federal Early Outreach and Student Services Programs, CHAPTER 1—FEDERAL TRIO PROGRAMS SEC. 402A. 20 U.S.C. 1070a—11.

42.

Warburton

E. C.

Bugarin

& Nuñez

(2001). Bridging the gap: Academic preparation and postsecondary success of first-generation students (NCES Publication No. 2001-153). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics.

43.

Weaver-Hightower

M. B.

(2010). Where the guys are: Males in higher education. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 42(3), 29–35.

44.

Whalen

Saunders

& Shelley

(2009–2010). Leveraging what we know to enhance short-term and long-term retention of university students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice, 11(3), 407–430.

45.

Wohlgemuth

Whalen

Sullivan

Nading

Shelley

& Wang

(2006–2007). Financial, academic, and environmental influences on the retention and graduation of students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice, 8(4), 457–475.

46.

York-Anderson

D. C.

& Bowman

S. L.

(1991). Assessing the college knowledge of first-generation and second-generation college students. Journal of College Student Development, 32(2), 116–122.

Using Data Known at the Time of Admission to Predict First-Generation College Student Success

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References