Obstacles for first-generation low-income (“FGLI”) students and institutional strategies to improve their success and retention. Feel free to use any of this material. These issues are complex and challenging and I want to facilitate raising awareness about them.

1. Nathan T. Fried, PhD
PENN-PORT IRACDA Fellow,
Assistant Professor at Rutgers Camden (Fall ’18)
Obstacles for first-generation low-income (“Figly”) students and
institutional strategies to improve their success and retention

2. Nathan T. Fried, PhD
PENN-PORT IRACDA Fellow,
Assistant Professor at Rutgers Camden (Fall ’18)

3. Nathan T. Fried, PhD
PENN-PORT IRACDA Fellow,
Assistant Professor at Rutgers Camden (Fall ’18)
What is a
first-generation
and/or
low-income
student?
< ~$60-65K/yr for
family of four
It’s complicated

4. Neither parent earned a BS?
One parent went to some college, but didn’t complete a degree.
A student’s uncle went to college.
What if your older brother went to college?
What if it was an absentee parent who went to college?
Depending on the definition, the population ranges between 22-73% (Toutkoushian, 2015)
What is a first-generation student?

5. Neither parent earned a BS?
One parent went to some college, but didn’t complete a degree.
A student’s uncle went to college.
What if your older brother went to college?
What if it was an absentee parent who went to college?
Depending on the definition, the population ranges between 22-73% (Toutkoushian, 2015)
What is a first-generation student?

6. RUC and UPenn recognize the spectrum of first-
generation issues by de-emphasizing the definition.
UPenn
“The FGLI program also welcomes all students
who identify as first-generation for any of the
multitude of ways this identity can be defined
contextually.”
Rutgers
“Any student who may self-identify as not
having prior exposure to or knowledge of an
experience like Rutgers and may find having
resources to assist in the transition helpful.
This could be because your parents attended
college in a different educational system (in
the USA or in another country), because the
part of your family you have close contact
with did not go to college, or many other
reasons.”

7. The underlying issue that
FGLI students face is also complex
Awareness Gap
Achievement GapOpportunity Gap
Social Class Transition
Underrepresented
Minorities, people w/
disabilities, women,
LGBTQ in STEM.

8. The underlying issue that
FGLI students face is also complex
Imposter syndrome on campus: “I don’t belong here. It’s a fluke. Sure, I’m smart, but I’m not
college-smart like they are and they’re gonna eventually find out.”
Alienation at home: unsupportive or even obstructionist family and friends. Living in two
worlds and not being accepted in either. “Oh look, it’s college.” “Your all fancy now.”
Survivor's Guilt: negative feelings when one succeeds and escapes adverse conditions when
close others have not. “Well, SOME of us weren’t lucky enough to go to college!”
College readiness w/ little advice: Parents and family don’t have the knowledge to navigate
college or college-level careers. “You can do whatever you set your mind to” and “Do what you
love.” - Angel D’az
Financial pressures: Food court closed over holiday? Need for part-time job.
Sense of belonging: Professors are not from my background. Students are not from my
background. Is this REALLY a place where I belong?

9. The underlying issue that
FGLI students face is also complex
(STEM-specific)
Volunteering in a lab: “Well, if you REALLY loved science, you would commit 20 hrs working for
free every week.”
Science Identity: I met my first PhD (in French) when I was in 9th grade. I couldn’t see myself in
that world! The first heart-to-heart with a PhD in college, she described to me how she had
been reading scientific journals since she was in middle school. “I’m not cut out for this! I just
learned about Scientific American in 12th grade!”
Fear & Anxiety communicating w/ faculty, staff, and peers: “These professors SCARE THE HELL
out of me. How am I going to make a personal connection w/ them to advance in this field!?”

10. And then you do the UNTHINKABLE,
by going to grad school & a postdoc!?
(PhD takes about 5-6 yrs. Postdoc takes another 5-7 yrs)
Stipends are enough…for one mistake/problem: $29K in grad school, $50K in postdoc. It’s
enough, but only for one unexpected problem (bad financial decision, health costs, etc)
No dental insurance in many grad schools: after years of not having access to a dentist
Lack of Financial Planning: No retirement/investments until well into your 30s.
Imposter Syndrome: It NEVER goes away.
Reimbursements take FOREVER: Students can’t fall back on family income.
Is grad school financially-irresponsible?: My father is 74, mom is 64. They have no savings. Can
I REALLY justify a 5-7 yr postdoc? Time is running out & it has NOTHING to do w/my passion
for science.
Further you go, attrition of those like you: Less & less you see people from your background.
Out of the cultural-loop: Not knowing names of different famous schools…at every step, I’m
one step behind.

11. Institutional strategies to improve their
success and retention in STEM
Money is not enough
New initiatives and groups are being
created at Penn and Rutgers to build
community and identity

15. Nathan T. Fried, PhD
PENN-PORT IRACDA Fellow,
Assistant Professor at Rutgers Camden (Fall ’18)

16. Intersectionality of these issues in the
context of other identities amplifies
these problems.