What is a First Generation College Student?
Figuring out whether or not you are a first generation college student can be tricky sometimes depending on your circumstance. We have attempted to provide a comprehensive resource for students to be able to determine whether or not they are first generation. You will find below, a list of frequently asked questions and definitions for the various types of degrees and educational achievements in the U.S.
A first-generation college student is someone who has lived up to age 18 with a parent or guardian who does not have a bachelor’s degree (or who does not have a 4-year degree).
Am I First Gen? Frequently Asked Questions
My mom has an associate’s degree and my dad has his welding certification. Am I First Gen? Yes!
I was raised by my grandmother. She has a GED. My parents have advanced degrees, but they have not been in my life. Am I First Gen? Yes!
My grandparent/aunt/uncle has a bachelor’s degree, but my parent(s) that I live with do(es) not. Am I First Gen? Yes!
Neither of my parents have a bachelor’s degree, but my older sibling does. Am I First Gen? Yes!
My dad is currently enrolled in night classes to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Am I First Gen? Yes!
Is there an income level necessary to be considered First Gen? No!
What are the different types of degrees?
High School Diploma or GED:
-
A diploma or certificate awarded for the completion of high school or equivalent classes
-
GED stands for General Educational Development
Vocational trade or Technical degree:
-
A program that involves a curriculum centered on preparing students for a career
-
Typically hands-on learning and focuses on building specific skills
-
For more information Click Here
Associate’s degree:
-
Requires completion of an organized program of study of at least 2, but less than 4 years of full-time academic study, OR
-
More than 60, but less than 120 credit hours
-
The Associate’s degree is a recognized higher education degree
-
Most Associate’s degrees earned in academic programs are Associate of Arts (AA) or Science (AS) degrees
-
For more information Click Here
Bachelor’s degree:
-
The most common first degree in U.S. higher education
-
Usually planned to take 4 academic years of full-time study to complete
-
students will fulfill what are called liberal or general studies requirements for introductory knowledge in several subjects as well as a concentration in one or more subjects, called a “major”
-
Most Bachelor’s degrees are titled Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor Science (BS), but there are many other Bachelor’s degree titles in use
-
For more information Click Here
Master’s degree:
-
The first graduate-level qualification
-
may be considered terminal professional degrees in some fields, such as the fine arts, or they may be considered as second degrees that may or may not lead to Ph.D. studies
-
The most common academic Master’s degrees are the Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS), however there are many different Master’s degree titles, especially in the professional fields
-
For more information Click Here
An advanced degree beyond a Master’s degree:
-
May include certificates, diplomas, and/or degrees that represent any level of education beyond a Master’s degree (not limited to, but including doctoral degrees). The most common degrees in this category are:
-
Advanced Graduate Certificate (AGC)
-
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
-
Doctor of Education (EdD)
-
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
-
Juris Doctorate (JD)
-
-
For more information on levels of education beyond a master’s degree, Click here. For more information about doctoral degrees, Click here.