How to decide if you classify as first generation...

[Hopeful_MD_Cat_Mom]

Hello,

I am stumped when trying to decide if I qualify as a first-generation student based on how some of the secondary questions are written.

My situation is that my father has some college, but no degree, and my mother got her associate's degree this past year, after previously having no college. Outside of my direct family, one of my grandparents and one of my aunts has a bachelor's degree.

I was going to mark the non-first-generation. However, I had some schools ask the question like "Are you the first in your immediate family to receive a Bachelors's degree?" as opposed to "Are you a member of the first generation of your family to graduate from college?".

I read online, typically immediate family only refers to your nuclear family (parents, siblings, and children), but I want to know what other people think.

Should I just say no to be safe across the board, or do you think I should choose what to put based on the wording of the question?

I am just trying to figure out how to answer the question most honestly.


Thank you in advance.

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[Maybedoc1]

I am curious about this as well. Both of my parents dropped out of college, but many of my aunts/uncles and cousins have degrees. Does that still make me a first gen?

 

[M&L]

so this is what i found:

"

First-generation:

An individual, neither of whose parents completed a baccalaureate degree;

or

An individual who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree.

or

An individual who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.

If your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) attended college but do not have a bachelor’s degree (i.e., did not graduate), you are considered to be first-generation.


source: U.S. Department of Education Definitions of Low-Income and First-Generation Students | UW McNair Scholars Program

 

[M&L]

@Goro do you by any chance have some insight on this?

 

[deleted1005514]

When I applied I put non-first gen, even though my mom graduated with her bachelors degree the same week I graduated high school. I just didn’t want to risk being looked at as misrepresenting myself even though I technically qualified.

 

[deleted804295]

You're first generation.

When they ask about your family they mean the nuclear family. Your aunts and uncles don't count.

 

[Goro]

Hello,

I am stumped when trying to decide if I qualify as a first-generation student based on how some of the secondary questions are written.

My situation is that my father has some college, but no degree, and my mother got her associate's degree this past year, after previously having no college. Outside of my direct family, one of my grandparents and one of my aunts has a bachelor's degree.

I was going to mark the non-first-generation. However, I had some schools ask the question like "Are you the first in your immediate family to receive a Bachelors's degree?" as opposed to "Are you a member of the first generation of your family to graduate from college?".

I read online, typically immediate family only refers to your nuclear family (parents, siblings, and children), but I want to know what other people think.

Should I just say no to be safe across the board, or do you think I should choose what to put based on the wording of the question?

I am just trying to figure out how to answer the question most honestly.


Thank you in advance.

Immediate Family Definition, Criteria, and Legal Aspects

The immediate family is usually defined as a person's smallest family unit, including parents, siblings, spouse, and children.

www.investopedia.com

Immediate family - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

What Is Immediate Family?

Members of a person’s immediate family may be a spouse, parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and more. Learn what immediate family means in financial terms.

www.thebalance.com

Since Gramma has a degree, you are not first gen college grad.

 

[Maybedoc1]

Immediate Family Definition, Criteria, and Legal Aspects

The immediate family is usually defined as a person's smallest family unit, including parents, siblings, spouse, and children.

www.investopedia.com

Immediate family - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

What Is Immediate Family?

Members of a person’s immediate family may be a spouse, parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and more. Learn what immediate family means in financial terms.

www.thebalance.com

Since Gramma has a degree, you are not first gen college grad.

Question. So when I put in my parents education level in AMCAS (some college but no degree) it automatically marked me as first generation. However I just remembered that my grandpa went to college so now should I say that I'm not First Gen on my secondaries even though AMCAS (my primary) says I am?

 

[Goro]

Question. So when I put in my parents education level in AMCAS (some college but no degree) it automatically marked me as first generation. However I just remembered that my grandpa went to college so now should I say that I'm not First Gen on my secondaries even though AMCAS (my primary) says I am?

Only if the secondaries ask

 

[Maybedoc1]

Only if the secondaries ask

Alright thanks!