First-Generation College Students and their Housing Status on College Belonging

Our population is becoming more diverse with each generation. With many financial and housing options, this has resulted in a big portion of the college student population being first-generation students yearly. This is representative in the literature, especially regarding first-generation identity and housing status. First-generation students struggle with a lack of information and unknown expectations as they face higher education with no reference point. Added to the first-year experience, it could result in a challenging and confusing year. Housing status as a topic has been explored as learning communities, residential dorms, and commuting from home. These living spaces provide different resources that could aid the college experience. Studies have investigated its impact on academic success and retention, but not college belonging. College belonging is about a sense of security, and its investigation has been seen to support academic success. Thus, focusing on this topic could bring about ways to increase the quality of the college experience. As a result of past literature, this study will explore the impact of first-generation and housing status on college belonging with first-year students. I will explore the connotations and feelings behind the statuses of “first-generation” and housing, with specifics to the terms “commuter” and “resident.” I will then see if it may influence a student’s sense of self and how they think others may view them, thus affecting their sense of belonging. My investigation is based on hourly in-person interviews with first-year students that fit those identities. Through this, I will explore the relationship between first-generation and housing status on college belonging. I hope to provide more support for students’ overall success and well-being in college with my anticipated findings.

Hello, I am Joselyn Castellon Almanza, and my mentor is Dr. Blake Silver. And this is my project on first-generation college students and their housing status on college belonging.

Our population is becoming more diverse with each generation. With many financial and housing options, this has resulted in a big portion of the college student population being first-generation students yearly. This is representative in the literature, especially regarding first-generation identity and housing status. A study has shown that the main difference between the first and continuing generations is cultural capital. Cultural capital is a form of recognition passed down through generations that certifies one’s cultural competence. Continuing generation students, who had more cultural capital, could understand the professors’ expectations (Collier and Morgan, 429). It went further to say that even with similar academic skills and learning environments for the first and continuing generation, there was still a difference in performance in the student role due to cultural capital (Collier and Morgan, 442). All in all, first-generation students struggle with a lack of information and unknown expectations as they face higher education with no reference point. These findings underscore the importance of considering the unique experiences of first-generation college students.

I then investigated housing status cause housing status as a topic has been explored as learning communities, residential dorms, and commuting from home. These living spaces provide different resources that could aid the college experience. One study looked into housing status on academic performance. It saw that commuters earned a higher academic standing than residential students (Simpson and Burnett, 2019). This was interesting because a lot of past studies stated the opposite. It even went further to say that students’ academic status is based on how much they invest their energy into the college experience instead of the actual living situation (Simpson and Burnett, 297). And since studies have investigated its impact on academic success and retention, it led to me thinking of housing status and how it could impact college belonging.

College belonging is about a sense of security, and its investigation has been seen to support academic success. Thus, focusing on this topic could bring about ways to increase the quality of the college experience. A study has seen that college belonging matters as it works with well-being, high persistence, and graduation. This discussion of belonging can help us see its importance, its complexity, and how it provides a feeling of security (Nunn, 48). Another study has shown that socioeconomic status informs how students experience belonging (Ostrove and Long 2007).

This leads to my research questions; What impact does being a “first-generation college student” have on someone? What impact does housing status, commuting or residential, have on someone? How do these identities influence college belonging?

With these questions, I will explore the connotations and feelings behind the statuses of “first-generation” and housing, with specifics to the terms “commuter” and “resident.” I will then see if it may influence a student’s sense of self and how they think others may view them, thus affecting their sense of belonging.

My investigation is based on hourly in-person interviews with first-year students that fit those identities. There will be 16 interviews with 16 people. Eight will particularly fit under the commuting identity, and eight will fall under the residential identity. With all being under the first-generation college student identity. The interviews will then be coded with Dedoose coding software. It will look at what words or phrases are used frequently. I will then analyze it to see the reoccurring theme and draw conclusions from it.

My interview questions are based on three topics: first-generation identity, housing status, and college belonging. And here are some of my example questions. For example: “What comes to mind when you think of a first-generation student?”, “How do you think others view you based on your housing status?” and “Do you feel like you belong in your college based on your definition?”

Through this, how the first-generation experience and housing status affect college belonging will be further investigated. In the future, I hope it leads to more efficient resources for first-generation college students and college housing. As well as reform programs to help those students that fit those identities.

Thank you. If you have any questions, please contact me at jcastel@gmu.edu.