Understanding the Varying Salience of First-Gen Status for First-Generation College Students

Abstract: Our constructivist qualitative case study of first-generation college students at Research University analyzed 13 focus groups with 54 students. Our analysis revealed five identities and experiences that specifically shaped the salience of first-gen status for our participants. For participants with a sibling or from low-income families, first-gen status had variable salience depending on the nuances of those experiences. Having an immigrant background or transferring from a community college heightened first-gen status salience by creating a second layer of transition impacted by students' social and cultural capital. Racially and ethnically minoritized participants explicitly noted that race and ethnicity were more salient in their college experiences than first-gen status. The relationship between these aspects of salience and identity also reflected the RU context as a predominantly white, four-year, moderately priced institution. We conclude with implications for how institutions can further support first-gen students on campus while calling for the continued exploration of first-gen status.