First Generation Story

Having grown up in a family where both my parents dropped out of high school and no prior family members attending college, I found it difficult to participate in higher education. I lost financial aid my first semester of college after receiving less than satisfactory grades and upon returning I had to pay out-of-pocket until I was able to achieve Academic Good Standing. Many legacy students have the resources and tools at their disposal to be successful in education, for first-generation students these resources simply are not there more often than not. It is difficult to try to attend college and get a degree when you have this disadvantage and I was very lucky to have those who supported me in my studies and offered guidance through the process. Not everyone is so lucky to have that and it takes some degree of determination and discipline before things start to piece together. Most people who are successful to some degree have only achieved that success because they were lucky at some point in the journey- think of single parents who have to work two, sometimes three jobs. They work hard but its a stroke of luck or being at the right place in the right time to have success. However, there is an individual responsibility insofar as you have to put your foot forward and look for the lucky places. Anyone can do it, you may have to be lucky at some point but if you do not try then you will never even have the opportunity.