For many first-generation students, navigating the college process might have been a road with many obstacles. First-generation students are the first in their families to go to college, and they may not have the insight that other students receive from loved ones with degrees.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics Data, first-generation students tend to graduate at lower rates than students whose parents earned an undergraduate degree. 

With more than 20% of the undergraduate student population being first-generation Longhorns, UT should provide a first-generation orientation so students have the option to attend a session where important information will be geared specifically toward them.

Lakewood University states that the top three reasons why first-generation students may struggle is due to unclear expectations, limited support systems and less knowledge of resources. The need for a first-generation orientation is clear, as these issues could be easily addressed at an orientation. UT’s first-generation orientation should provide guidance on financial processes like the FAFSA, dealing with imposter syndrome and the academic resources on campus.

“As a first-gen (student), you can’t really ask your parents how to do this or how to do that, you kind of have to search on your own,” psychology freshman Jorge Giron.

There are currently seven orientation sessions being offered to incoming students in summer 2023. UT should implement another session that would prioritize first-gen students whose knowledge of UT resources may be limited. 

Kyle St. Nicholas, the associate director for New Student Services, believes an orientation for first-generation students is very much possible.

“A really important part of what we do each and every summer is we complete a post-orientation assessment to figure out what students did learn, what information they’re still wanting to learn more about, versus just evaluating their satisfaction with the experience,” St. Nicholas said. “I think if there was a value found in that (first-generation orientation), that’s something that we could certainly explore and what we could potentially look at.”

There’s definitely value in a first-generation orientation, as lower graduation rates suggest. First-generation students have significantly lower financial self-efficacy, and imposter syndrome is also higher among first-generation students. Addressing these concerns during orientation would provide vital support for first generation students along their educational journey.

Critics might argue that UT would be isolating first-generation students by having them come to one specific session, but the first-generation orientation would be optional. Orientation is required for all incoming students, so if a student can’t make it to the first-generation orientation, they will still have the option to attend a different session if they choose.

Separating first-generation students from the rest of the student population could be beneficial for establishing a sense of community. The option could make it easier for incoming students to build the support system they often lack by connecting and making friends with peers who come from similar backgrounds. 

“I think having something like that (first-generation orientation) would have been very helpful because being able to bond with someone that is also first-gen would have definitely made me a little bit more comfortable”, Giron said.

UT should provide a separate orientation for first-generation Longhorns so they can make the most out of their session with information specific to them. With a catered orientation, they would have the opportunity to interact with peers from similar backgrounds who can help make the transition to college easier.

DonJuan is a Plan II and economics freshman from Quanah, Tx.