Making College Happen: The College Experiences of First-Generation Latino Students

Abstract

This article documents the experiences of a group of first-generation Latino college students who enrolled in 4-year institutions immediately after high school graduation. Students form part of a research intervention program that focuses on disrupting social reproduction by increasing college access and persistence for underrepresented youth. In particular, this article explores the long-term effects of a college access/intervention program by examining how a group of first-generation Latino college students navigate the transition from high school to college, maintain a capacity to access academic and social support while in college, and sustain a college-going identity. The experiences of these first-generation Latino college students are situated within social/cultural capital theory, social reproduction theory, and critical theory. Analysis of a longitudinal database focuses on students’ proclivity to mobilize support around academic, financial, personal, and family issues while embedded within the college milieu.