First-generation students' academic engagement and retention
Abstract
This study investigates differences in academic engagement and retention between first-generation and non-first-generation undergraduate students. Utilizing the Student Experience in the Research University survey of 1864 first-year students at a large, public research university located in the United States, this study finds that first-generation students have lower academic engagement (as measured by the frequency with which students interacted with faculty, contributed to class discussions, brought up ideas from different courses during class discussions, and asked insightful questions in class) and lower retention as compared to non-first-generation students. Recommendations that higher education faculty can follow to promote the academic engagement and retention of first-generation students are addressed.
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First-generation college students experience diminished achievement in college compared to their peers whose parents are college graduates.
“First-generation college students (i.e., students whose parents did not complete college; Engle, 2007) experience diminished achievement in college and are less likely to persist to graduation compared to their peers whose parents are college graduates (Soria & Stebleton, 2012;Toutkoushian et al., 2021).”
From Daily Communication Between First-Year College Students and Their Parents: Associations With Perceived Relationship Positivity (2024) · cites this paper as Soria & Stebleton, 2012
First-generation college students are less likely to persist to graduation compared to their peers whose parents are college graduates.
“First-generation college students (i.e., students whose parents did not complete college; Engle, 2007) experience diminished achievement in college and are less likely to persist to graduation compared to their peers whose parents are college graduates (Soria & Stebleton, 2012;Toutkoushian et al., 2021).”
From Daily Communication Between First-Year College Students and Their Parents: Associations With Perceived Relationship Positivity (2024) · cites this paper as Soria & Stebleton, 2012
Cites
The Effects of Student-Faculty Interaction In the 1990s
Kuh, G. D., & Hu, S. (2001) · The Review of Higher Education · doi:10.1353/rhe.2001.0005 · Cited by 774 · see citing works
First-Generation College Students: Additional Evidence on College Experiences and Outcomes
Pascarella, E. T., Pierson, C. T., Wolniak, G. C., & Terenzini, P. T. (2004) · The Journal of Higher Education · doi:10.1353/jhe.2004.0016 · Cited by 738 · see citing works
Investigating “sense of belonging” in first-year college students
Hoffman, M., Richmond, J., Morrow, J., & Salomone, K. (2002) · Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice · doi:10.2190/dryc-cxq9-jq8v-ht4v · Cited by 673 · see citing works
Kim, Y. K., & Sax, L. J. (2009) · Research in Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s11162-009-9127-x · Cited by 510 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Informal student faculty interactions (e.g. speaking with faculty outside of class or serving on committees with faculty) are also positively correlated with student learning and development (Astin 1993; Kim and Sax 2009; Kuh 2003; Kuh and Hu 2001).”
BackgroundDo College Student Surveys Have Any Validity?
Porter, S. R. (2011) · The Review of Higher Education · doi:10.1353/rhe.2011.0034 · Cited by 286 · cited 2× · see citing works
“…relies on students’ selfreported assessment of academic engagement, a factor that some have identified as problematic due to inaccuracy (Bowman 2011; Porter 2009); however, Bowman (2010) found that first-generation students tend to be more accurate in self-reports than other students, which could…”
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Tavernier, R., Hill, G. C., & Adrien, T. V. (2019) · Sleep Health · doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2019.02.007 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Duckworth, J. C., Bumpus, M., Forsythe, K. M., Cooper, B. R., & Hill, L. G. (2024) · Emerging Adulthood · doi:10.1177/21676968241273308 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Soria, K. M., & Stebleton, M. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Corresponding author
- Soria, Krista M.
- Venue
- Teaching in Higher Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2012-03-23
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 673-685
- ISSN
- 1356-2517 (ISSN-L)
- 1470-1294
- OpenAlex
- W2020178822
- Cited by
- 371
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 43.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Teaching in Higher Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Practises and Engagement
- Social Sciences › Education › Education and Military Integration
- Keywords
- first-generation college students, academic engagement, student retention, undergraduate students, faculty-student interaction, research universities, student experience
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