College Tips for First-Generation Students
First things first, what does it mean to be a first generation student? It simply means your parent(s) did not complete a 4-year college or university degree, regardless of other family member's level of education. People often think of first generation students only as students coming from immigrant families, although that’s common, it’s not always the case. They can also be students whose parents went straight into trades, military service, or the workforce, or whose caregivers never had access to higher education.
Being a first gen college student is a completely different experience then having a whole family that graduated from college. As a first gen student myself coming from Mexican immigrant parents, I know how difficult it can be to navigate college on your own. How do I apply for scholarships? How do I get financial aid? How do I register for classes? These are things we need to navigate on our own and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Sometimes, as a child to immigrants or an immigrant yourself, you might have to help your family financially, the responsibility of doing good in life to take care of your family is also a common theme. As a teenager you are already given the responsibility of having to do well so you can provide for your family, as well as having to make money and go to school all at the same time.
Because of all this, finding financial support is huge. That’s why I want to highlight popular scholarships for first-generation students. Many organizations offer financial hardship scholarships, which are designed for students who are working through economic challenges or supporting their families.
So how do you receive financial support? You can apply to get financial aid through FAFSA or through scholarships. The first step is to find scholarships that apply to you, then begin the essay writing process. These opportunities can relieve stress and give you more time to focus on school. Before applying for scholarships, it helps to:
Apply to both small and large scholarships
Reuse and adapt essays when possible
Track deadlines in a calendar
Apply even if you think you “might not qualify”
Many websites help you refine exactly what kind of scholarships you are looking for based on area of study, race/ethnicity, sexuality, needs and more! Below are some websites that offer scholarships for first generation students as well as search engines to find those that apply to you.
Popular Scholarship Websites for First Generation Students
If the thought of writing scholarship essays seems overwhelming, we are here to help! Here at Triple V we can provide 1 on 1 support to students with finding scholarships, scholarship essays, personal statements, and general educational support. Even if you don’t know where to start we can help with that, and you can access that HERE.
