Last week, Lionel Anderson’s post “Advice for Smart Students on Succeeding in College” on the New York Times The Choice blog offered some important insight for all successful college students to heed.
- “Seek mentors who will help you achieve your postgraduate goals.”
- “Find someone who will work with you meaningfully in your professional development.”
- “Align yourself early on with advisers, librarians and the writing center.”
- “Meet one-on-one with or serve as a peer tutor.”
These lessons are especially important for first-generation college students who often require additional support in and out of the classroom.
But all too often, seeking on-campus resources is an afterthought for students. It’s not something they think about until they show up on campus or sometimes when it’s too late.
We believe that first-generation college students need to place a greater emphasis on campus support programs earlier in the college process to influence where you apply and ultimately where you attend. After all, it’s not just about getting to college, but more importantly, getting through.
The I’m First Dashboard features a college search tool that, different from other college searches, highlights colleges and universities with a lens on the support programs and opportunities that the campus offers for first-generation college students. When researching a college, you should be asking yourself, “How are they going to make sure I’m successful if I go there?”
Check out the I’m First Dashboard by signing up here.