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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I tend to think some on this thread don't quite understand why first gen is a thing. but a one myself. and now someone who mentors students, you should know that [b]it is about sizable gaps in information, preparation and knowledge about the process. [/b]And yes, that can apply often to children of immigrants who may have degrees but are ignorant of the American college system.  As one glaring example, the graduation rates among 1st gen is much lower. Not because people are not prepped academically, but often b/c financial planning was for a single year.  I remember not knowing that study abroad was even an option and never knew to ask. But now after having been through that the difference between my kids and my own experience, just based on the info and resources I can pass on, is radical.[/quote]

My DH is both a first generation American and a first generation college student.  His parents were caucasians that immigrated from the UK, and were solidly middle class.  He didn't face many of the obstacles that immigrants who speak a second language face, or immigrants that are at or near the poverty level or immigrants that are non-Caucasians.  But he talks about the barriers he faced in high school with navigating the college process.  His parents had not gone to college in the UK and absolutely did not understand the process in the US.

My DH grew up in Fairfax County in a neighborhood full of professionals and all his friends in high school were college bound kids - his older siblings all entered the workforce upon graduation and my DH did the same thing because he had no help at home.  His friends encouraged him to go to college, so he did the community college to GMU route, all while holding down a full time job.  My DH's older brother has 8 children (that's another story.)  They live in Northern Virginia.  Only two of his children went to college - the other 6 went directly into the workforce.  Again, I think it's because both my BIL and my SIL do not have college degrees and the way they raise their children does not include the expectation that college is the only path after high school.

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