Predictors that Distinguish First-Generation College Students from Non-First Generation College Students

The purpose of the study was to compare a freshman cohort of first and non first-generation college students enrolled in an urban university and to identify characteristics that distinguish the two groups in terms of selected demographics, pre-college behaviors and beliefs (expectations and personal traits). Some of the distinguishing characteristics such as household income were common across race/ethnicity, but there were differences in types and in relative importance of the characteristics between White students and students of color and among various ethnicity groups. Policy implications of the findings are discussed