Guide for Families of First-Generation Students

Is college a new experience in your family?

If so, the person in your family who is attending college could be called a first-generation college student.  And that person (whether it is your son or daughter, your grandchild, or even your spouse) is in good company.  There are many highly intelligent and successful college graduates whose parents did not have the opportunity to attend or complete college.   

Some you may have heard of are:

  • Michelle Obama (Attorney, author, Former First Lady of the U.S.)
  • Margaret Thatcher (Former British Prime Minister)
  • Oprah Winfrey (Founder of OWN network, actress, once the wealthiest woman in the world, despite having grown up in poverty)
  • Walt Disney (Founder of Disney Corporation)
  • Albert Einstein (Physicist who made groundbreaking discoveries, including splitting the atom and relativity)
  • Larry King (Host of the long-running television talk show, “Larry King Live”)
  • Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Deceased U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
  • Clarence Thomas (U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
  • Ben Carson (Famous neurosurgeon who was first to safely separate twins conjoined at the brain, former HUD secretary)
  • Colin Powell (Former U.S. Secretary of State, former diplomat, retired four-star general)

As a parent, guardian, grandparent, spouse, or other person who is close to someone who is or soon will be attending college, you are probably wondering about a lot of things.  This guide aims to offer answers to some of the questions that commonly arise as family members try to help new college students begin their journey in higher education.

Frequently Asked Questions