Education Commons^™

Invisible Barriers: Experiences Of First-Generation College Students Navigating Academia, Frances "Ana" Barkley

The Winthrop McNair Research Bulletin

Twenty-four percent of undergraduates in the US are considered first-generation and low-income (Engle & Tinto, 2008), while TRiO student support services serve less than 5% of these students (Mortenson, 2011). Previous research reveals that these students are less prepared for collegiate-level academic rigor, have fewer financial resources, and have less cultural and social capital compared to their non-first-generation and non-low-income peers (Engle & Tinto, 2008; Chen & Carroll, 2005; Engle, 2007, Willet 1989). Based on their testimonies, are there specific challenges that first-generation, low-income students are currently experiencing while navigating higher education in 2018? How can these testimonies inform the …