News & Blogs

Find the latest from the Center, learn new and innovative approaches from colleagues, and engage with current mainstream media conversations on first-generation student success. In addition to the filters below, please utilize the “search” bar in the top, right corner to search by keyword, author name, or publication title.

male mentor with diverse group of students

College Admissions Counselors: From Gatekeepers To Caseworkers

Research from the NCES finds that just over half of all students who begin at four-year colleges complete a degree in six years.

Forbes / May 08, 2018

$5 million gift to establish program for first-generation students at Virginia Tech

The gift helps create a program that spans across multiple years, with the goal to increase the amount of first-generation college students at Virginia Tech.

Collegiate Times / May 04, 2018

Colleges' 'Good Neighbor' Policies Reveal Great Opportunities For Local Students

Institutions have taken the initiative to provide students and families in surrounding communities with special admission and financial aid incentives.

Forbes / May 03, 2018

Penn First Plus expands programs and support for first-generation students

New initiatives will address the growing first-generation, low-income student needs in alignment with the University’s goals of inclusion and access.

Penn Today / May 01, 2018

How Four-Year Institutions are Failing to Graduate Low- and Moderate-Income Students

New Pell data uncovers an additional layer of the college completion crisis for low- and moderate-income students.

Third Way / May 01, 2018

4 Steps Students Can Take to Find the University That Is the Best Fit for Them

This is what College Track recommend students consider on their way into college, so they can extract the most value from their degree once they are out.

The 74 / May 01, 2018

Fixing financial aid

Bill Gates recently sat down with a group of first-generation students and they shared that the biggest challenges they face is completing the FAFSA form.

Gates Notes / May 01, 2018

male professor blue polo talking to students

Why Part-Time Success Matters

Closing the achievement gap will require better support for underserved part-time students.

Inside Higher Ed / April 30, 2018

Guides to ‘Being Not-Rich’ on Campus

At the U. of Michigan at Ann Arbor, students are talking with administrators about the future of a student-written guide to "Being Not-Rich" on campus.

The Chronicle of Higher Education / April 26, 2018

students in classroom standing with teacher

Inclusive Leadership for Education and Lifelong Learning

Ensuring that every student feels supported, valued, and prepared to enter the working world, a goal that has yet to be reached nationally or globally.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education / April 26, 2018

Teaching in the Era of Bots

First-generation college students, often feel marginalized in academic settings and this narrative of self-doubt can have negative effects on success.

EdSurge / April 25, 2018

Free College Is a Great Idea. But much more is necessary.

Free college does not address major hurdles students face, particularly for low-income, first-generation students compared to their wealthier peers.

The 74 / April 24, 2018

College’s First Test: How to Pay for It

Don’t be dazzled by fat offers of financial aid if the cost of the school is so high that it will still be a stretch for you to attend.

The New York Times / April 24, 2018

The risk of higher education reauthorization

The risk of kicking higher ed reauthorization down the road

Americans deserve a higher education system that works for them.

The Hill / April 21, 2018

Center Makes Strides Since Launch

A recap blog about what the Center for First-generation Student Success has been up to over the past few months.

Sarah E. Whitley Ph.D. / April 18, 2018

New UC transfer policy focuses on degrees while sidestepping economic realities

This new policy could increase UC transfer intake by as much as 15 percent, while satisfying both systems’ desire to pump out more and more degrees.

The Daily Californian / April 16, 2018

Focus on Diversity at Community Colleges

Community colleges typically enroll a broad range of students, but many are doubling down on efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

Inside Higher Ed / April 13, 2018

How to Beat the Imposter Syndrome Feeling

Approximately 70 percent of us will experience a period of self-doubt at least once in our lives. Rebuild your confidence using these five strategies.

99U / April 13, 2018

Keep your eyes open!