Stop Labeling Students "First-Gen" (opinion)

"One way to pursue this goal is to consider the role played by first-generation student success initiatives, which continue to enjoy broad public support. In the current climate, higher ed may be forgiven a rush to establish centers or initiatives for first-generation student success, as many colleges and universities already have. But before we get to raising funds and creating logos, let's pause and consider new ways to think about and organize such efforts to best meet the moment."

"The usual answer is that we inquire because we aim to foster upward social mobility, and because we know from research that students who are the first in their families to attend college do not succeed at the same cohort rates as so-called continuing-generation students. But I emphasize cohort rates because we are not talking about a group, defined by self-awareness and interaction, but indeed a cohort, defined by impersonal and ill-defined criteria."

"Neither of your parents (you have two, right?) earned a bachelor's degree? I'd venture that most who work with first-gen students would agree that there are enduring questions about how best to define who is and is not first-generation using one of several plausible definitions. And even after four decades of promotion, I think it's fair to say that few students arrive on campus as self-conscious "first-gens," however defined."

New policy mandates require higher education to address the equity–excellence imperative. One approach is creating first-generation student success initiatives that enjoy public support. Parental educational attainment is often used to identify students for such efforts to foster upward mobility because research shows first-generation cohorts have lower completion rates than continuing-generation cohorts. Cohort-based definitions are impersonal and ill-defined, and labeling can presume deficits, intrude on privacy, and feel condescending. Definitions vary (e.g., sibling-first, parental associate degrees, some college) and pose measurement challenges. Few students arrive on campus identifying as first-gen. Institutions should pause before launching programs and reconsider definitions, design, and outreach.

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