First-generation students make up about one-third of college applicants, according to 2024 data from the Common App, but only 24 percent of first-generation college students graduate with a bachelor’s ...

We’ve heard the story before: the first-generation college student who beats the odds, navigates campus life without a roadmap, and earns a degree for their family, their community and themselves.

First-generation students are twice as likely to leave college without completing a bachelor’s degree than their peers, even if they come from higher-income backgrounds and come to college ...