Helping First-Generation Students

FG students have difficulties with entering college and remaining enrolled, largely because they are less academically and socially prepared than their peers (Engle et al., 2006). To maximize their chances for success, FG students should be made aware of the resources that are available to them. Before entering college, it is recommended that FG students participate in workshops about financial aid and navigating the college admissions process so that they can be well informed about the logistical, bureaucratic, and financial aspects of attending college (Engle et al., 2006). Additionally, taking summer bridge programs between high school and college can help FG students to fill knowledge gaps and prepare for the academic rigor of college courses (Engle et al., 2006). Once entering college, FG students can continue to build their knowledge base by taking advantage of supplemental courses, tutoring, directed workshops, and learning communities, and by consulting their advisors, counselors, peers, mentors, and instructors (Engle et al., 2006; Martinez et al., 2009).

Instructors are well positioned to help FG students in a variety of ways. For starters, instructors can share advice about studying, writing, test-taking, and time-management; they can also explain how they overcame their own academic challenges. When instructors help FG students to increase their studying and writing skills, these students can improve their critical thinking, writing ability, and willingness to engage in cognitively challenging tasks. When instructors help FG students to increase their studying and writing skills, these students can improve their critical thinking, writing ability, and willingness to engage in cognitively challenging tasks (Pascarella et al., 2004). Furthermore, instructors can point students towards the appropriate campus resources (e.g., writing centers, libraries, computer labs, student services, academic success centers, counseling services, conflict resolution centers, stress management etc.) as well as relevant scholarships, job openings, and professional development opportunities. During office hour visits instructors can answer student questions, provide students with detailed feedback about their performance, and attempt to identify and solve any barriers they are facing (Goldman et al., 2022; Shelton, 2011); instructors should maintain high academic standards while also being sensitive to FG student needs to prevent them from becoming discouraged. This could involve increased flexibility surrounding deadlines to help accommodate their work or childcare needs. Because FG students often focus on pragmatic and practical concerns (e.g., helping their family or getting a job), instructors should highlight the real-world value of course topics (Goldman et al., 2022; Harackiewicz et al., 2016). Instructors can also have students think metacognitively about their progress towards their educational goals and what barriers are standing in their way. By providing periodic reminders for students to check their grades, and by issuing alerts for underperforming students, instructors can help FG students become more aware of their status in the course and whether or not they are falling behind.

Instructors can also encourage participation in extracurricular activities, as FG students have been shown to gain disproportionate benefits from increased participation in extracurricular activities when compared to their CG classmates (Pascarella et al., 2004). Doing extra-curricular or co-curricular activities helps FG students to take responsibility for their own learning, formulate their degree plans, and improve their openness to diversity. Despite these benefits, FG students normally shy away from extracurricular activities so they may require additional encouragement. Benefits from extracurricular activity participation likely occur because these activities expose FG students to informed peers who know how to select courses, study effectively, and navigate the college environment. These peer-to-peer interactions help FG students adapt to the expectations and norms of college life so that they can adopt the strategies and behaviors that are necessary for success (Engle et al., 2006). Another way that instructors can help FG students to interact with their peers is to facilitate the formation of study groups in class, which can help to open a door for FG students who have nowhere else to go.

In addition to sharing their expertise, providing resources, and encouraging extracurricular activities, instructors can assist FG students with their psychosocial development by increasing their self-efficacy and their capacity to cope with stressful situations. For example, instructors can increase FG students’ self-efficacy by believing in them and helping them to succeed. Studies show that self-efficacy and self-determination are important for FG student graduation and success (Shelton, 2011); in essence these students must ‘know’ that it is their choice to graduate and that they will complete their degree requirements. Self-efficacy beliefs have been shown to predict higher GPAs, especially for FG students (Majer, 2009). Another way that FG students can improve their academic performance is by learning how to use coping strategies to manage the multiple stressors they face (Phinney & Haas, 2003). Stress-busting strategies include: 1) being proactive to prevent and manage stress ahead of time, 2) getting emotional support from friends and family, 3) seeking academic support from teachers, students, and tutors, 4) reframing problems in a positive way, and 5) accepting some problems as something they must learn to live with (Martinez et al., 2009).

The difference-education intervention helps FG students see their background and differences as strengths instead of sources of anxiety (Stephens et al., 2014). In this intervention, FG students learn about successful senior students who had life experiences like their own. The FG participants learn that it is possible for students like them to be successful and that their background could be a source of strength. This intervention was shown to reduce anxiety and improve the GPA of FG students.

Helping Transfer Students

University instructors can use a variety of strategies to help transfer students improve their performance. Many of these strategies are similar to the ones that benefit FG students such as having students work with and get support from their peers (Thomas et al., 2021), and increasing participation in campus activities (Thomas et al., 2021). Transfer student behaviors such as participating in class discussions, asking questions during class, working hard, and tutoring other students are positively correlated with GPA. Administrators may also be able to help by notifying instructors of transfer students in their courses so that faculty members can engage with those students, provide feedback and updates, and celebrate their success (Fauria & Fuller, 2015). Transfer student behaviors such as participating in class discussions, asking questions during class, working hard, and tutoring other students are positively correlated with GPA (Fauria & Fuller, 2015). In addition to encouraging these behaviors, instructors can also improve transfer student outcomes by providing them with prompt oral or written feedback about their academic performance (Fauria & Fuller, 2015).

University instructors should understand that transfer students may feel overwhelmed and may get ‘information overload’ while learning to adapt to a new learning environment. Instructors should communicate key information in a clear and straightforward manner; instructions, tutorials, syllabi, and other information should also be easy to find on the course website (Chin-Newman & Shaw, 2013). Reducing unnecessary emails and highlighting priority ones is also recommended (Foster et al., 2020). Transfer students should be encouraged to take advantage of instructor office hours and review sessions. Furthermore, instructors can assist transfer students by pointing them to institutional resources such as student services or the academic libraries as appropriate. Lastly, instructors can make it clear that they are more than happy to meet with students about navigating the course website or understanding the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the course. In summary, transfer student feelings of belonging and odds of retention can be increased by providing them with appropriate support (Deil-Amen, 2011; Robbins et al., 2004), making these students aware of their own strengths (Soria et al., 2017), and by having them participate in learning communities which help them to carefully consider their academic choices and actively participate in their classes (Thomas et al., 2021).

One intervention by Wilson and Linville that may be beneficial for transfer students deals with the transitional difficulties that students experience when they enter a new school (T. D. Wilson & Linville, 1982, 1985). This intervention teaches students that transitioning to a new school is often accompanied by declines in academic performance and that these declines are normal, short lived, and do not reflect a lack of ability. This intervention caused increased GPAs and made transitioning students 80% less likely to drop out of college.