Liaojian Qu, Jianyao Shao, Yifan Bai, and Huacong Liu / International Journal of Educational Research / January 2023
With the rapid development of higher education in China, the first-generation college students in China's research universities are gradually becoming the minority .Based on a sample of 5524 students at a research university in China, this study examines the impact of family institutional cultural capital on academic achievement of undergraduates, as well as the moderating effect of individual characteristics and student engagement. The study finds no significant difference between the first-generation college students and non-first-generation college students in grade point average but a significant difference in graduate education opportunities. Compared with non-first-generation college students, being a minority in college and student-student interaction have greater negative influence on first-generation students’ academic achievement, while academic activities participation has a positive impact. The analysis results show that the first-generation college students in Chinese research universities are still at a disadvantage in terms of academic achievement that requires comprehensive ability, but this cannot be simply be attributed to cultural reproduction. Student engagement still plays a role in promoting cultural mobility, and the importance of institutional cultural capital varies by the type and stage of achievement measured.
