First Generation Definition

[Anonymous]

No kids college age yet but l have read lots of comments about URM and First Generation on here.

Question for those more experienced with applications - does the definition of First Gen vary from school to school? Neither DH or I were born in the US but our kids were. Neither DH or I or went to college in the US, we have bachelor’s degrees from other countries. I read on a few sites that no US study counts as first Gen, but not sure if that’s for all or most schools.

[Anonymous]

“We have bachelor’s degrees from other countries.”

No, not first gen.

[Anonymous]

If you weren’t born in the us, but your kids were, they are first generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you weren’t born in the us, but your kids were, they are first generation.

That is not what “first generation college student” means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No kids college age yet but l have read lots of comments about URM and First Generation on here.

Question for those more experienced with applications - does the definition of First Gen vary from school to school? Neither DH or I were born in the US but our kids were. Neither DH or I or went to college in the US, we have bachelor’s degrees from other countries. I read on a few sites that no US study counts as first Gen, but not sure if that’s for all or most schools.

You are immigrants. Your kids are first gen. However, there's no leg up for your kid since you have college degrees.

[Anonymous]

PP is correct.
First gen American and
First gen college student are two different things.
The later (which we care about) means you’d be the first in your family to earn a degree from any uni in any country.

[Anonymous]

How are they going to check if your parents back in Moldova or Burkina Faso got college degrees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are they going to check if your parents back in Moldova or Burkina Faso got college degrees?

They’re not checking. But don’t lie, or you might find yourself in Mackenzie Fierceton’s shoes years later (Google her).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are they going to check if your parents back in Moldova or Burkina Faso got college degrees?

LinkedIn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How are they going to check if your parents back in Moldova or Burkina Faso got college degrees?

They’re not checking. But don’t lie, or you might find yourself in Mackenzie Fierceton’s shoes years later (Google her).

DP but she was in cahoots with her mother and the mother outed her, plus she was very vocal about being first Gen
I think maybe flying under the radar can help but I for example have a LinkedIn profile so there’s definitely a trace of I wanted to lie about my kid

[Anonymous]

Your kid would likely not be considered first generation for college applications but it would be worth it to look into it and even request clarification from admissions departments or work with your college counselor to figure out if there is any variation in how colleges define it. It may depend on where you are from, as colleges might treat students from developing countries differently than someone who immigrated her from the UK with a degree from Oxford.

It might not matter but why not find out for sure? Worse case scenario is that you get a firm no and then you know you explored all avenues.

[Anonymous]

I believe yes the definition differs
Also there’s a Coalition app as an alternative to the Common app targeted at FGLI students what skips the question altogether. But I was told it’s cumbersome and doesn’t have many colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid would likely not be considered first generation for college applications but it would be worth it to look into it and even request clarification from admissions departments or work with your college counselor to figure out if there is any variation in how colleges define it. It may depend on where you are from, as colleges might treat students from developing countries differently than someone who immigrated her from the UK with a degree from Oxford.

It might not matter but why not find out for sure? Worse case scenario is that you get a firm no and then you know you explored all avenues.

OP here. Thanks this is helpful

[Anonymous]

As an immigrant admitted to an ivy I was shocked to find out that I was considered first gen (I did put my parents' educations on my applications). My six generations of university educated ancestors were rolling in their graves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant admitted to an ivy I was shocked to find out that I was considered first gen (I did put my parents' educations on my applications). My six generations of university educated ancestors were rolling in their graves.

Both my parents went to university and 1 graduated, but only 1 grandparent went to high school. 3 of them were poor farmers. So nobody will be rolling in their graves if my kids end up being considered first Gen.