Research Blog Post #10: Final Abstract, Bibliography, and Link To Your Paper

Abstract

Higher education is something that many people today say is essential in being successful this day and age. Over the years, accessibility to higher education has improved greatly but once group of people tare still struggling in light of these great strides - first-generation students. Poverty, absence of parental figures, and many other factors largely out of their control impede them from going to college or succeeding if they do make it there. In this paper, these factors are categorized and examined in order to pin-point how these problem areas come about and what can potentially be done to remedy them.

Bibliography

Engle, Jennifer, and Vincent Tinto. Moving Beyond Access: College Success for Low-Income, First-Generation Students. St. Paul, Minnesota: 3M, 2008. 1-38. eBook.

Rosanna A. Reyes. Proving Them Wrong. MA/MS Thesis. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2012. 

Schwartz, Seth;  Weisskirch, Robert S.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Castillo, Linda G.; Ham, Lindsay S.; Huynh, Que-Lam; Park, Irene J. K.; Donovan, Roxanne; Kim, Su Yeong; Vernon, Michael; Davis, Matthew J.; Cano, Miguel A. "Dimensions of Acculturation: Associations With Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students From Immigrant Families."Journal of Counseling Psychology. 58.1 (2011): 27-41. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. 

Wohn, Donghee Yvette, Nicole B. Ellison, M. Laeeq Khan, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, and Rebecca Gray. "The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens." Computers and Education 63 (): 424-436. Print.

Woosley, Sherry, and Dustin Shepler. "UNDERSTANDING THE EARLY INTEGRATION EXPERIENCES OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS." College Student Journal 45 (): 700-714. Print.

Paper Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KlAxsBOG7IPIpilXgDnEoSdt1HsVGKgYuRm4I0GOk9k/edit?usp=sharing

Literature Review Blog #5

Visual

Citation

Rosanna A. Reyes. Proving Them Wrong. MA/MS Thesis. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2012. 

Summary

This dissertation follows the stories of 5 first generation Latino women who despite the disadvantages they faced, were able to succeed in college. It outlines in each case what factors may have contributed to their individual successes.

Author

Rosanna A. Reyes - Associate Dean and Dean of First Generation Initiatives at Williams College.

Key Terms

Quotes

"Risk factors are the issues for which the participants have no control over much like the environment (i.e. inferior schools, culture of violence and or lack of parental involvement)."(Reyes 21)

"Also, the teachers [in Peru] cared more about your grades and they knew you on like a personal basis. So if they knew if you were doing badly, they would call your house right away. Whereas here, your grade is this and your parents are coming to pick up your report card this that, and that’s when they are going to find out."(Reyes 70)

"While in college I have had many emotional breakdowns. I’ve felt the pressure of being an adult and having no help or directions but I’m so proud of myself because I’ve worked so hard for what I have."(Reyes 92)

"Samantha spoke about education not being an option but an obligation in her home."(Reyes 133)

Value

This dissertation provides insight into the lives of first-generation students who actually defy the odds and succeed in college. By observing the journeys of these students, you can see what common factors helped them along their journey. This information can be used to help many other first generation students.

Research Blog #9: Your Argument and Counter-Argument

My general argument is that first generation college students have many disadvantages when it relates to post-secondary education. Whether it be in the application process, to navigating the collegiate landscape, they are weighed down by a variety of factors. One of these disparities is the value of the social capital that they have access to. In fact, one of these categories of social capital, extended network in terms of social networking and the like, can potentially hurt these students in some cases. However, in the article The Role of Social Media in Shaping First-Generation High School Students' College Aspirations: A Social Capital Lens, it is viewed as an invaluable resource for first-generation students when it comes to electing and applying to colleges. Although it may be helpful in this aspect, I believe that it has the potential to also hurt them as they move on.
For most first generation college students, the culture that is instilled in them by their parents or the places they themselves are from tend to be different from what is seen on college. As a result, they have to work harder to adapt and be accepted into this new culture they do not know too much about. One of the few examples they have of the college culture is from what they observe on social networking sites which often times are filled with pictures of weekend escapades and partying. So, in order to fit in, they might emulate what they see and because it is something new to them, they might not know exactly how to handle it.  This issue of adapting is touched upon in the article "Dimensions of Acculturation: Associations With Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students From Immigrant Families". The issues faced by these students are almost identical to the issues faced by first generation students. "The immigrant paradox (in which more acculturated young immigrants and children of immigrants are more likely to take risks compared with their less acculturated counterparts) can be explained in terms of losing the protective effects that accompany heritage practices and values."(11) In trying to be accepted, some of their values and aspects of their culture are sometimes compromised. If not careful, accessing this form of social capital can impede their progress as a college student.