The ones who hold the world: Career choice process of Asian American first-generation college students

Asian American first-generation college students—those who are the first in their families to attend college—comprise a growing yet understudied population within U.S. higher education. This qualitative study explored the career choice process of eleven Asian American first-generation college students who were majoring in arts, humanities, and social science fields. The findings suggest that students' cultural and class identities influenced the way they and their families approached the career choice process. Students often experienced family challenges in pursuing culturally nontypical majors. Participants' stories underscored the importance of culturally relevant support, and receiving such support on campus was instrumental to students' self-efficacy. Contrary to what the model minority myth purports, Asian American first-generation students are complex individuals with unique struggles and motivation in attaining higher education