One in three. That's how many students are breaking new ground, as the first in their families to attend university.
But behind the statistics lies a stark reality: their journey is uniquely challenging, often marked by a lack of understanding and high pressure from family members.
We went directly to these students, and their stories revealed feelings of isolation, a lack of familial support, and the sheer weight of navigating uncharted academic territory. This blog sheds light on their unique experiences and how Glean can support them to reach their academic goals.
Challenges faced by first gen students
1. Lack of support and understanding
Family members of students attending university for the first time are by no means unsupportive, but the challenge our students mentioned repeatedly was feeling like family members didn’t understand their challenges, and, as a result, were unable to help them.
So, what does this mean for first time students? A lack of support and understanding from family members can lead to students feeling isolated and cut off. Heightening stress and anxiety in a time full of change. A healthy minds study found that two thirds of first gen students experience mental health challenges.
During the first few months at university, when friendships are still being established and relationships with professors are still developing, who do these students have to turn to for support and understanding? How do they navigate new study skills effectively?
“No one in my family can help with study support or know how universities want the essays written.”
Sophie, University of Derby
On top of a lack of support, students report feelings of misunderstanding from family members. Abby, studying at The University of Maryland shares “I can’t talk as easily about my struggles as many will brush them off or not understand.”
“Similarly, the questions regarding a job are frustrating when I am constantly doing school work with no time to do so. Coming from an Indigenous family, where I am the first in my extended family to really consider getting an advanced degree, it’s even more complicated because they are all proud but it never truly feels that way”
Abby, University of Maryland
Sara, at Sheridan College, shares a similar experience to Abby, highlighting how family members can sometimes underestimate the challenges and struggles of university due to not having lived experiences. “Everyone’s always saying 'oh it can’t be that hard' or 'I knew someone that went to college they didn’t have this much work' - everyone bases ideas on experiences they never had themselves and it’s not fair” shares Sara.
Abby is nearing the end of her time at university and will soon be graduating. Her university has selected her to be a senior marshal during graduation! However, she shares that some family members don’t relate to the immense sense of achievement she feels.
“I have been selected to be a senior marshal at graduation in a month or two, but my family doesn’t exactly recognize how big of an honor that is due to none of them being in college or having that college background.”
Abby, University of Maryland
2. Pressure to succeed
While there may be misunderstandings in the complexities and challenges of attending university, there is an undoubtedly high level of pride from both students themselves and their family members.
“My mom wasn’t given the opportunity to go to college even though she wanted to. She has fought very, very hard to be in the position she is today, and made it a point for me to fight just as hard so that I could go to university.”
Emiko, Georgia Institute of Technology
Being the first in the family to attend university is a huge accomplishment, but this comes with pressures. In comparison to continuing generation students, who may have siblings or extended family also at college, first gen students have the weight of not only being the first to attend, but the first to succeed.
Lila, studying at Queen’s University, shares that she has “Little academic support at home, but high pressure to succeed”. This makes effective study skills essential for first gen students to feel confident in their ability to succeed.
3. Academic preparedness
First gen students often face academic challenges that begin before they step onto a university campus. The concept of 'college readiness' which encompasses the academic and practical knowledge needed for success in higher education, often presents a significant hurdle.
Emiko, Georgia Institute of Technology, shares “I had to go through the process of applying for college and getting into college with no prior information from my family, which made me feel like I was always a few steps behind.”
This lack of parental guidance and experience in navigating the educational pathway to university can leave first gen students less academically prepared for the rigors of higher education.
“A big challenge for me was simply not having background knowledge to prepare me for university.”
Lila, Queens University
Further, some first gen students spend less time studying and interacting with faculty members compared to their peers. This reduced engagement can impede their academic progress and limit their access to valuable support and mentorship opportunities that faculty can provide.
Building relationships with faculty is often crucial for academic and career guidance, but first gen students might feel less comfortable approaching professors or may not understand the importance of doing so.
“University is very overwhelming for me, but being the first to go to university means that the academic support outside of university doesn’t exist.”
Sophie, University of Derby
How can Glean help overcome these challenges?
“It has relieved stress and made me an overall better student. It has also made me a more confident student which I think is really important given that I am first gen.”
Emiko, Georgia Institute of Technology
Nurturing study skills
Glean is designed with learning science at its core. We understand how important it is for all students to create notes and study materials that are effective, especially for first gen students who may not have a wider range of support to learn these skills.
“Glean has taken the load off of having to take notes and I no longer have to spend extra time out of my day rewriting my notes.”
Emiko, Georgia Institute of Technology
Designed to be simple, Glean allows students to be present and active learners by encouraging them to take concise, effective notes. With text formatting, students can organize key pieces of information so that it is clear and easy to study from.
Sara has been able to identify which study methods suit her best and allow her to thrive. “Recording lectures and turning it into a transcript is especially useful because I can read 121 pages of a regular book in around an hour, so I can read faster than I can listen, it’s been a great help!”
The outline feature within Glean allows a condensed overview of every lecture and recording, which also allows students to keep track of lecture content. Abby shares “I appreciate the outline feature a lot, as it is good for quick reviews and summaries, plus Quiz Me is good for testing my understanding quickly”.
Providing reassurance
Recording and transcribing lectures aids with two essential things for first gen students - reassurance and engagement.
As our students have mentioned, it can be overwhelming and hard to prepare for the change experienced at university, especially without family to tell you what to expect. Learning is much more independent, which is a source of anxiety, leading students to hyper-fixate on getting notes rather than actively engaging with the professor.
Having each lecture recorded takes away some of the pressure of needing to capture every word. This means students can keep their focus on the lecture content and processing information rather than writing, while also knowing it can be recapped whenever needed.
“The best thing is the fact that I can record the lectures. It enables me to take a ‘brain break’ or leave class for 5 minutes (if I'm overwhelmed) and know I haven’t missed any of the sessions.”
Sophie, University of Derby
Having reassurance that they can revisit the lecture material at any time helps to alleviate the stress and build confidence in their ability to succeed. Emiko shares that “Glean has taken the load off of having to take notes and I no longer have to spend extra time out of my day rewriting my notes”.
Key take aways
First-generation students often experience a lack of family support and understanding regarding the challenges of university life while facing pressure to succeed as the first in their family to attend university.
Without support and mentorship, these pressures and challenges can lead to feelings of isolation and increased stress, making effective support and study skills crucial for their confidence and academic performance.
Glean helps first gen students by nurturing study skills, providing reassurance through lecture recording and transcription, and offering features like AI Outline for quick reviews and summaries, enabling first gen students to become more confident in their note taking and study skills.
