Although direct admissions can open doors to postsecondary education for students from underrepresented communities, a simpler application process isn’t enough to make college truly accessible, some experts say.
Topics: First-generation students
Building bridges to college for traditionally underrepresented students
Hoping to strengthen the path to higher education, college exposure programs and non-profit organizations are creating opportunities for high school students from historically underrepresented communities to earn credits and see themselves in that environment.
How ‘spaces of belonging’ can help first-gen students thrive
First-generation college students benefit significantly when institutions provide a dedicated campus center that supports their full participation in the college experience and signals their importance to the campus community.
Study: GPA thresholds for popular majors limiting upward mobility for low-income students and students of color
A study from researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Yale University highlights the unintended consequences of using GPA requirements to restrict access to in-demand majors.
Georgetown summer programs seek to increase access through application assistance, mentorship for prospective undergraduate and graduate students
This summer, Georgetown hosted several in-person programs that provided opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds to build foundational relationships with peers and faculty, and to explore academic interests.
9 ways colleges can expand supportive services for first-gen students
A new survey of first-generation college students from Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse sheds light on students’ awareness of available supports and which they consider especially crucial.
What will it take to close career achievement gaps?
Even when they hold the same college degree, low-income students, students of color, and first-generation students still find it more difficult to land a good job after graduation than wealthier, white peers.
The push to reveal higher ed’s ‘hidden curriculum’
Hoping to shed light on the unspoken expectations of higher education, a new series shows how first-generation students are navigating the “hidden curriculum” on college campuses.
5 best practices for supporting first-generation, low-income students
New research explores the landscape of institutional support systems for first-generation and low-income students across 1,200 colleges, highlighting five best practices—and calling out the Georgetown Scholars Program Necessity Fund as “a model.”
‘It felt like Georgetown was built for us’: First-gen student reflects on his GSP experience
Alumnus Andy Marquez describes how he experienced the university’s commitment to cura personalis—a profound care for the whole person and their unique circumstances, gifts, and possibilities—through the Georgetown Scholars Program.
How can colleges appeal to first-gen students? Survey offers suggestions.
Colleges’ sticker price, outreach, and diversity often factor into first-generation students’ postsecondary choices, a survey found.
Virtual college tours could offer benefits that outlast pandemic
Virtual college tours—widely popular during the pandemic—could be a useful long-term tool for making recruitment more inclusive.