Listen Up: Tips For ‘First-Generation’ College-Bound High School Seniors

Being the first in your family to attend a 4-year school can help you get in

It’s a mark of progress in this country that fewer young people, particularly minorities, are the first in their families to attend college. But there are plenty of them still out there. According to Dr. Michele Hernandez, author of several books on college admission, being the first can actually play to your advantage. Here are few of Hernandez’s tips in that regard: Define what “first generation” means and be sure it applies to your family. Some colleges define it as “those who will be the first in their family to graduate from a four-year college.” So even if someone in your family attended a two year, you could technically still “check the box“ for first generation. Hernandez also says to complete the option application sections, which allow you to write an essay that “highlights how your life has been shaped by having parents who did not attend college.” CLICK HERE, to read more of Hernandez’s tips. (NY Times)

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