The Challenge for First-Generation College Students
Our Center students are unique for many reasons. First, they define perseverance: as in persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Second: they are almost 100% First Generation college students.
Third: they tend to face many more hurdles to meet their educational goals than students who have generations of college graduates for parents/relatives.
What is a First-Generation Student? A first-generation community college student is the first in their immediate family to attend postsecondary school after high school.
In California community colleges, 35% of students identify as first-generation in their family to attend college, 10% are Adult Education/English language learners, and 2% are foster youth.
- from the 2021 State of the System report and LaunchBoard.
Three first-generation Seattle Central Community College students share their experiences in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvGLJfPV3-c
First-generation college students face many challenges when they are the first in their families to head off to a community college. This experience can be filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Our first-gen college students typically don't have anyone in their families to offer support and first-hand advice on how to succeed in college.
What are the Hurdles?
Other common characteristics of first-generation community college students pose challenges to them. Many of these are true for our Center Students. According to an American Association of Community Colleges report:
Most first-generation community college students are not of the traditional college age. Many have been out of school for some time and are just returning to the hallowed halls of academia, making it difficult to get back into "study mode."
Most first-generation community college students work full or part-time while attending college classes. This burden places additional time and financial restraints on these students, making academic success much more elusive.
Many first-generation community college students are taking a smaller load of courses, probably to balance work and family responsibilities, as well as schoolwork.
Language Barriers: many students are Adult Education/English language learners.
Many first-generation college students face the financial burden of their education alone, which can be challenging to overcome.
Some first-generation college students may feel embarrassed or ashamed about their advanced age or socioeconomic status which sets them apart from their peers.
For students who have been out of the academic sphere for some time, getting back into the swing of school and studies can be challenging. In addition, some students are unprepared for the red tape and bureaucracy of college administration.
While there are many hurdles for first-generation college students, our Literacyworks Center staff continues to be successful in being here to assist them. The proof is in the Center Stats:
The Center has enrolled over 1,283 low-income, low-literacy students since 2015
Students achieved less than a 10% dropout rate each semester (90% retention), well under the 60% average dropout rate for community colleges for this at-risk population
As of Spring 2022, our graduates have achieved 22 (AA/AS associated degrees), 17 transfers (to 4-year universities, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSC, Sonoma State, and Sac State, among others), 73 certificates, and 64 GED completions.
Student Spotlight
"Enrolling in Literacyworks has been really helpful for my journey as a re-entry college student. As an older student in college, the scholarship has helped make ends meet when it comes to buying books and supplies as well as an additional support for my family. Both me and my husband are enrolled full time in college and making ends meet and providing for our children is always a challenge. We know times are tough right now but we also know that in the future our hard work in school will pay off. Thank you for all that Literacyworks does in providing support and scholarships. I will always be grateful for everything."
- Rocio
Rocio will receive her AA and will go SSU next Fall. She wants to become a college-level Spanish teacher.
SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS!
As we near the end of each year, we traditionally share with you the accomplishments of the Literacyworks Center and our students and ask for your continued financial support.
As part of our current Literacyworks Center population, we have seen an ever-growing need for working with two groups of students aged 18-24: Latino ESL learners and foster youth. Our program assists them in staying in college. They are primarily first-generation college students. Also, because of the hardships caused by the Pandemic, we are increasing our outreach to our students to help them find housing, food, and mental health resources.
We are asking you to support a student or more. It takes $3,000 a year to enable Center students to reach their goals and stay in school for a full academic year. We do whatever it takes to help our adults succeed in college, but we can't do it without you. Your gift of any amount creates meaningful change for our students, families, and communities. All of our adults are low-income, low-literacy members of our community and are the first in their families to go to college. Many are parents. Their perseverance in reaching their educational goals encourages their children to excel in school and follow their example to attend college.