Essay On First Generation College Students

Words: 537
Pages: 3

When I was fifteen, I found an advertisement for an early college program at Lamar University. With my parents help, I decided to apply. I was accepted into this program in late June and I started my first semester in August 2015. Just like that, I was the first person in my immediate family to attend college, I became a first generation college student. Being a first generation college student had affected me in many ways, and has been a large influence on my college career, just as it has for many other students.
In fact, during my mom’s freshman year of college she found out she was pregnant with me. She had just broken up with my dad, and was all alone in Mississippi, far from her family who lived in Texas. My mom knew what she was going to have to sacrifice when she decided to keep the baby. She dropped out of college and contacted my dad, who chose to be part of our lives.
There are many factors that go into whether or not you are a first generation college student. Some of the main causes for students being a first generation are, but not limited to, lack of financial stability, unexpected pregnancies, location, family background, or parents who didn’t see the importance of college before and now do. Regardless of our backgrounds, we must learn to adapt to earn successes or learn to accept failure. As a
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For instance, first generation students are eligible for special scholarships such as the ones offered by Coca-Cola or Mercedes Benz. Also first generation college students can start a chain reaction within their families. I personally experienced this when I came to visit my family one weekend, and my younger brother told me “I wanna go to college too, just like you”. By being a first generation student you open up so many opportunities for future generations. My hope is to get my degree and get a good job, so I can provide help to my children when they start