Blog
Find advice and follow the college experiences of our current first-gen student bloggers.
Pay for College
This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org. What Does College Cost? Does it seem like college may be too expensive for you? Cost should be a consideration when you're deciding where to go to college, but it shouldn't...
Find a College
This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org. What Kinds of Colleges Are Out There? Colleges are like flavors of ice cream at Baskin-Robbins—they come in all sorts of varieties. But primarily, colleges and universities...
Succeed in College
This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org. Welcome to Campus! Prepare Yourself for the Unexpected... As a first-generation college student, you may not have a clear idea of what college will actually be like. Many...
Plan for College
This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org. High School Checklists to Stay on Track Believe it or not, you're probably doing something to prepare yourself for college each and every day you attend high school! From...
Apply to College
This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org. The Basics of Applying to College Applying to college is a process that involves a lot of steps, each of which must be completed by a specific deadline. You should apply to...
Don't be surprised by surprises
Sometime earlier this semester, I heard the quote “Everybody needs surprises in their lives. We just happen to call the ones we don’t like ‘problems.’” When I heard this quote, I knew it was absolutely true. This being said, I did have some surprises during my first...
First Semester: Remembered
As a high school senior two years ago I had no idea what people meant when they said, "Your college years will fly by." In reality, my college years have flown by unbelievably quickly. One moment I was choosing classes for my sophomore year, the next minute I was...
Giving Thanks
Dear Mr. Stricker, As I look back on this holiday season my heart is overwhelmed with thanks. So I decided to say thank you in the best way I know how-writing. Thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to write me a letter of recommendation for...
Let go.
Alex Montes (University of Rochester '15) gives an important tip for those eager current high school seniors awaiting college life.
Thank you, Adversity.
Alex Montes (University of Rochester '15) talks about what he's thankful for this year for his I'm First! Scholarship Blog.