Any first-generation college students out there?

[WhizoMD]

---

Members don't see this ad.

First generation, high school, college, and hopefully med student here. My mother spent the last ~3 decades wiping asses(literally) to raisie my older brothers and me. Sadly I'm the only one that didn't end up in prison.
Money isn't my main reason for pursuing medicine, but I am hoping to fund a cushy retirement for her while supporting my own family. 🙂

 

[Samus Aran]

First generation college student here, and I am always worried about keeping a roof over my head. Moreso than even becoming a doctor. That's why I am already looking for housing options for next year...

i'm sure your family must be even more proud that you're attending one of the top med schools in the country. well at least i'm impressed 👍

 

[BlueAether]

First Generation? No. Only one in my generation? Yes. At the moment at least, my cousin may be enrolling in college soon.

 

[oaklandguy]

I don't know if I would classify myself as a first-gen because a lot of my family is Doctors, Lawyers, Dentists etc. But neither of my parents have a college degree so I guess that makes me first generation in an immediate family sense? This being said, they feel like they have to watch over my every move as to make sure I don't screw up. Yes, they always are asking me about my grades and want to know when I have tests and what-not. I also have a curfew... as you can tell my college experience is a blast. But it's okay, they just want the best for me. Gotta love having immigrant parents.

 

[Poliscidoc]

First generation here. Neither of my parents went to college, but my step dad is an attorney and my step mom is a dentist.. Not really a hard life great parenting.. Looking forward to be the first college graduate and Dr.

 

[TRN1983]

First gen here. Both parents made diddly squat, but there were some times when they overspent and I had stuff that was later reposessed and I've seen IRS agents in person, so that was cool (felt like being Neo from the Matrix and having Agent Smith come up to the front door... jk). They did instill a good work ethic into me as far as manual labor is concerned, but nothing as far as education goes.

Overall, it made for fun interviews and a good PS, and I feel it helped my overall "character development". I wouldn't have taken a different route.

Lots of pro's, lots of con's. Just figure out how to use it all to your adavantage in getting into medical school and then when you become a physician use all of those experiences you've had as a first gen to better understand and treat average joe blow American.

 

[musafirah]

heh.. i'm just waiting for the IRS to show up, surprised they haven't already.

i wasn't always disadvantaged.. only since i was 15 and my dad left his job. in the disadvantaged section it seems like they care about if you were born disadvantaged or not? should i fill it out? i have currently, but i can't answer some of the questions since they say "from birth to age eighteen". i filled out the comments section mainly because i didn't want to include it in my PS.. i worked and took care of myself through college but only lightly worked part-time in high school.


me... i'll be the first FEMALE in my entire family (extended included) to do something other than housewife or teacher. my mom pushed me to be "better than her" and it used to make me want to not be a doctor just because she wanted it so much.. and now i see that I want to do because i'm passionate for it. so that's good. my parents are immigrants as well, never helped me with school or guided me, and still don't get the school system here.

 

[MonsterMike]

First generation college soon-to-be grad here...took the long way, though... Growing up it was just my dad and I...He graduated HS but became a drifter until I came along..No real education/skills, just worked in factory/mills/ect...education not a priority, but athletics were...Me--offered a scholarship to play volleyball in college...went to college for two years, school disbanded the volleyball program, I dropped out...had no idea what to do...eventually went to CC, got an associate's degree, and a job!...enrolled in nearest 4-yr university, and will graduate in Dec with a degree in Microbiology/Psychology 🙂 applying to medical school next year...
did this motivate me to go to medical school--not really. My motivation didn't come until later. My main motivation was to not get pregnant and end up like every one else I knew. Once I finished CC, I met people who were smart, educated, and supportive, and they are the ones who have helped me succeed, not family--who still question why I'm in college, ect..

 

[Poliscidoc]

Maybe it's just me but since I am first generation college student I would think my parents would be all over me about grades and what major I want to take.. But there not at all, my dad just asked me what my GPA was (I AM JUNIOR), and I told him I had switched my business major (2nd major) to Biology/Pre-Med and he said "Cool, do what ever you want".. I am not saying this is a bad thing but I was just wondering if anybody else gets the "whatever" attitude from there parents??

 

[willie0120]

I'm also the first one in my family to go to college.

I'll be graduating in three years, I'm an immigrant..came to the US a couple of years ago, I don't think this had any influence on me wanting to become a doctor. My mom has always told me to just go to college and get a degree in whichever field I want. Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to become a doctor, i was born with it! ;D 🙂

 

[Magnetek Blue]

I am not saying this is a bad thing but I was just wondering if anybody else gets the "whatever" attitude from there parents??

I'm the youngest, and I think about the time I got to high school they stopped really caring what I did as long as I kept my grades up and wasn't blatantly doing anything troublesome. My dad's words of wisdom for me as he helped me move into the dorms were "just don't do anything stupid..." A few years later when I told him that I was considering medical school, he tried to talk me out of it! (He has since come around to fully support me.)

I'm a first generation college grad as well, by the way. I never really thought about it, but I don't think it has mattered too much, other than that my mom is thrilled to tears every time I get some kind of award.

 

[Exalya]

I was just wondering if anybody else gets the "whatever" attitude from there parents??

Absolutely. I'm a first-generation college grad, and my dad and grandmother seems to think that it's... cute. Of course, they have a very traditional idea of what women should do. I'm married, and all they seem to say is, "Well it's nice that your husband lets you do all these things." My mother and I no longer speak, but her opinion was that if I went to med school I just needed to marry one of the brightest students and forget about my career.

*SIGH* I hate archaic sexism.

I have found it a bit difficult as a first-generation college student, mainly because the "professional" world is entirely foreign to me, since my parents were never professionals. The finances of having parents who did not go to college is pretty hard to. Having no support on the MCAT, no help... luckily my husband is awesome and very happy for me, else it might be very lonely. I definitely wouldn't consider my situation an advantage, but at the same time, coming from a poor background has made me appreciate money and education way more than many of my peers.

 

[Fanse]

Dropped out of highschool (In my freshman year). First generation college student.
Personal:
My biggest problem is that my family takes no interest in my studies or my work (I work full time 40+ hours a week in my research lab) and like to try and guilt me for not spending enough time with them (I also live on my own). I come from a very rural area and go to school in the "big" city now. They try to make me believe that i have abandoned my "culture" or my southern values.
School:
I have a very hard time writing and struggled in all of the freshman/sophmore writing courses but science writing is a bit easier and i've had to write the majority of a few papers to be published so it helps. Sometimes i think the ESL graduate students in my lab write better than me and its embaressing because i am a native speaker. I have no idea what a pronoun is without looking it up

 

[metalgirl14]

I'm a first-gen college grad too. Both my parents graduated high school then went straight into the work force (my mom is an administrative assistant, and my dad is a salesman).

It was definitely tough getting through undergrad because I had no one to help me with decisions. I would try asking my parents for advice but they didn't really know how to help since they hadn't gone through it before. I made several mistakes in undergrad because of this (major choice, class choices, etc) but I'm very happy that I finally earned my degree.

It was also pretty difficult to financially support myself during my undergrad years. I received tons of financial aid and loans to help pay for college but I had to handle all my expenses on my own. Because of this, I have 5-6k in credit card debt (I had to pay for all my books on my credit cards) and I had to have a job throughout my entire time in college.

Both the lack of experience/advice and the lack of money have helped me to be a stronger person though. I'm very glad I had these challenges because it makes me appreciate my degree and my future medical career even more.

 

[metalgirl14]

Dropped out of highschool (In my freshman year). First generation college student.
Personal:
My biggest problem is that my family takes no interest in my studies or my work (I work full time 40+ hours a week in my research lab) and like to try and guilt me for not spending enough time with them (I also live on my own). I come from a very rural area and go to school in the "big" city now. They try to make me believe that i have abandoned my "culture" or my southern values.
School:
I have a very hard time writing and struggled in all of the freshman/sophmore writing courses but science writing is a bit easier and i've had to write the majority of a few papers to be published so it helps. Sometimes i think the ESL graduate students in my lab write better than me and its embaressing because i am a native speaker. I have no idea what a pronoun is without looking it up

Lol. I totally get the "You don't love the family" stuff too. Most of the time, they would call the night before an exam and then think I hated them (because I was stressed, etc for the exam). I think a lot of parents just don't understand.

 

[Exalya]

Lol. I totally get the "You don't love the family" stuff too. Most of the time, they would call the night before an exam and then think I hated them (because I was stressed, etc for the exam). I think a lot of parents just don't understand.

I also get that... my grandmother would rather have me go to a school I don't want to attend that was closer, than see me go to a school I love that is still in Texas (my family is in California, far from me, thank god). You just have to try to be kind... and do what's best for you, in the end.

 

[Anotherface]

First generation, high school, college, and hopefully med student here. My mother spent the last ~3 decades wiping asses(literally) to raisie my older brothers and me. Sadly I'm the only one that didn't end up in prison.
Money isn't my main reason for pursuing medicine, but I am hoping to fund a cushy retirement for her while supporting my own family. 🙂

Yes I'm a fg. I'm sorry to hear that your siblings did not turn out as well as you. Fortunately, my younger siblings all seem to be doing relatively well in school and staying out of trouble.

 

[TRN1983]

Yes I'm a fg. I'm sorry to hear that your siblings did not turn out as well as you. Fortunately, my younger siblings all seem to be doing relatively well in school and staying out of trouble.

I wish I could say the same... I'm going to be forced to always live in a tiny house so my family members don't ask to move in 😱

 

[TRN1983]

Both the lack of experience/advice and the lack of money have helped me to be a stronger person though. I'm very glad I had these challenges because it makes me appreciate my degree and my future medical career even more.

👍

That's what it all comes down to. To those of us who overcame a few little obstacles, we should realize that those experiences will actually be very beneficial to us in the long run.

 

[Anotherface]

I wish I could say the same... I'm going to be forced to always live in a tiny house so my family members don't ask to move in 😱

I would be disowned I if didn't help out a relative in need.

👍

That's what it all comes down to. To those of us who overcame a few little obstacles, we should realize that those experiences will actually be very beneficial to us in the long run.

In ways it is beneficial and yet in others it is not. The important thing about the whole ordeal is that it gave us the will and determination to succeed in such a demanding field.

 

[Jolt21]

FGCS here too...

my one fear has been failure. i was the first born in my family out of my mom and all her bros and sisters, so they all raised me at some point for years at a time while my mom worked as a flight attendant and single mother. i feel as though they have all put much effort and time into me, so the least i can do for them is succeed. they dont really care what i do...just want me to be comfortable, enjoy life, and never lose touch with them. i cant imagine failing them in one of those departments, i would be devastated.

 

[Frogmanmike14]

I guess I'm a first generation college graduate, my sister led the way though. I'm the first in my family to pursue a medical career and as such spent the first few years of college not knowing what I was doing. I found help at my school's Pre-Health advising staff and also mentoring from a sports medicine internship that I spent a lot of time at.

I had a horrible first year but for the most part redeemed myself and got more A's than anything else. Medicine is a very difficult thing to go into alone, so I suggest all the young people seek guidance as early as possible. I'm applying right now for medical school so hopefully I can get in and do well.

 

[Fashion2088]

Im a first generation middle school graduate, highschool graduate, and soon to be college graduate... School was tough and I didn't receive much support from family... Being a Dr is something that just seemed like the right thing for me to want to persue... I had no special influence on choosing that major, It just felt right... So here I am during this journey... We shall see where it takes me...

 

[vinniekan]

1st Generation HS/College graduate, with Asian parents, applying to Med School. Talk about stereotype...

Just wanted to let you guys know, you guys are giving me so much materials to write about in my diversity essays/why x med school just things that have also happened to me but I guess I didn't think about it deep enough and put them into words.

Thanks 👍

 

[medictim84]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread because it's really good.

I'm a first generation college student too, and personally, I think it's made my life incredibly difficult. My mother is superficially supportive, but she has been trying to sabotage me ever since I entered college because I'm also the first person in my family to live more than 30 minutes from my hometown. (Unfortunately, she's very good at it too...)


I almost didn't go to college because I saw no point to it. Even when I did decide, I just went. I didn't do any research or even pick a major beforehand. One of my friends went to college and had a good experience, so I thought "hmm...guess I'll try that one."

So, any other first generation students out there?

Sounds familiar...will be first generation college grad here too in about a year since both my parents dropped out of CC.

I didn't even enter college until I already decided I wanted to go to medical school. I never really had the desire to go to college until I knew exactly what I wanted to do so I ended up not even starting until I was 21. I guess being able to buy my own booze has made college a little less painful. 😛

 

[Gogogirl]

I am a 1st-generation college grad..so yeah..there are a lot of us out there =)

 

[Charles Darwin]

As opposed to starting a new thread, I'll resurrect this two-year old one... :/

I'm not sure if I'm considered a first-generation college student or not. Neither of my parents went to college, but several people in my immediate family did; all my half-siblings went but only one ended up graduating. I also had an uncle who attended (and graduated) college. Would I still be considered a first-generation college student?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[CapnCombs]

My parents didn't go to college but my sister just got a job as a medical assistant. I hope to get into medical school and make them proud!!!

 

[nikesandmeds]

another first generation college student here. It was hard for me going to college and asking myself why? the answer was because I know I should but I didn't want to. But now im doing it for real this time a little late but better late then never. i have a younger brother who is in college too so now were doing it together. it makes it easier. and when were done im sure it'll feel great