First-generation students — defined federally as those whose parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree — face specific and well-researched barriers to entry when considering attending college.
They’re historically less familiar with financial aid, scholarships, FAFSA, and college-level academic expectations. They’re more likely to have attended less-privileged K-12 schools, to be first-generation and low-income, and have family obligations that compete with academic demands.
“A lot of the families of first-gen students don’t have the knowledge and information capacity yet to help their students navigate a pretty complex system,” said Dr. Susanna Russell, president and CEO of Education is Freedom.
Yet, by March 1, 2026, some 547,133 high school graduates had applied to Common App’s more than 1,100 member institutions — a group that includes Baylor University — as the first in their families to go to college. That’s a 6 percent increase compared to last year’s application season, according to the nonprofit’s March 1 deadline update, and it’s a figure that’s consistently rising.
For the 2024-25 academic year The Hechinger Report writes some 43,000 first-generation students applied for college in Texas alone, an increase from about 13,000 during the 2020-21 application cycle. Baylor reported in August 2024 almost 16% of its undergraduate students were the first in their families to attend a four-year university.
“There has been a heightened emphasis on affordability across much of the higher education community, which has made college more accessible,” said Dr. Ray Perryman, president and CEO of The Perryman Group, a Waco-based economic research and analysis group. “There has also been substantial growth in dual enrollment opportunities in high schools and community colleges, thus allowing an easier transition to college.”
Following the money
Across the U.S., there has been a substantial increase in high-demand occupations that require some level of postsecondary training, including four-year degrees, associate’s degrees, certificates, and vocational credentials. A report from the Georgetown University Center of Education and the Workforce predicts 72 percent of U.S. jobs will require postsecondary education by 2031.
“I think Texas is kind of at an inflection point because as a state, we’re growing, our economy is expanding faster than our talent pipeline, and there’s a really strong need to make sure that students — whether they’re first-gen to college on a two- or a four-year path or first-gen getting postsecondary credentials to enter the workforce — all of those pieces are an economic imperative for the state,” Russell said. “And thinking of that pipeline, it’s estimated that more than 60 percent of jobs in Texas require education or training beyond high school.”
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First-generation students disproportionately come from groups of low-socioeconomic status and minority racial/ethnic groups — all groups with historically low college enrollment rates.
Although research concludes belonging is the single biggest attractor for first-generation college attendees, programs meant to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within college populations have been shuttered in recent years. The Supreme Court in 2023 ruled to end race-conscious admissions, and Texas lawmakers banned DEI programs for schools spending state-appropriated money.
“Unfortunately, recent policy initiatives and legislation have sought to limit opportunities for these groups in many areas and even penalize institutions seeking to facilitate the process,” Perryman said. “Hopefully, this pattern will not have an undue impact going forward.”
Helping first-gen students acclimatize to college
For the 2025-2026 academic year, Baylor University welcomed 16.4 percent of its annual intake as first-generation students.
“First in Line has been a special program here at Baylor for almost 15 years now,” said Dr. J. Wesley Null, vice provost for undergraduate education and academic affairs. “As part of the First in Line program, there are special recruiting events, a dedicated newsletter, and a mentorship program where we connect first-year first-generation students with upper-class division first-gen students, faculty, and staff.”
The First in Line Student Society empowers first-generation students to become leaders within a student organization. Chartered in 2017, the Student Society meets monthly to focus on issues specific to the group and to host academic, service, and social events for all first-generation students.
“It’s like a ready-made community, and not just for current students, but for prospective students, too,” Null explained.
“We found many students were doing this on their own,” he said. “Mom and Dad have no clue what it means to go to college, but our recruiters can put them in touch with the First in Line coordinator. There’s even a link for resources for parents of first-gen students so that they can help their son or daughter prepare.”
What’s so great about college?
In recent years, the social pressure to attend college after high school has cooled. Some Gen Zers have a new perspective on the job market in the gig economy, noting that skilled trades and other careers offer a fast, direct path to employment without the need for a degree.
Which begs the question: Does a college degree hold the value it once had?
“Encouraging greater participation by more diverse groups and those without a strong educational legacy has many benefits,” Perryman said. “Obviously, it expands opportunities for the individual students and often brings a family paradigm shift that can bring benefits for generations to come. College education also tends to be associated with greater civic participation.”
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Research suggests almost half of all first-generation students start their postsecondary education at a community college.
“I have many, many friends who went to community college first and may have gone to a university like Harvard at the end,” said Dr. Mary Darden, founder and president of Higher Education Innovation. “Nobody ever asks where your first two years of college were. I recommend going to community college, especially as they generally have a lot of support services, and they’re relatively less expensive.”
From a broader perspective, Perryman continued, “The U.S. is facing a long-term worker shortage as well as the need for greater skill levels fueled by AI and other phenomena. A larger pool of educated individuals will be beneficial and, indeed, essential for sustained prosperity.”
In Texas, there’s a determination among young people driving up applications from families that never considered higher education essential.
“There’s a generation who’ve seen their parents and maybe their grandparents too, live in lower-income situations with not a lot of opportunity,” Darden said. “And they see people who are really succeeding in the world, with larger responsibilities and higher salaries, and they’re thinking they want to be a part of that American dream.”
Is college still important?
“In my own family, I actually was a high school dropout,” Russell said. “My degree and doctorate were transformational, and they opened doors. I mean, I never anticipated doing anything but waiting tables. For my own children, there was never a doubt. You’re going to college and getting a degree.”
Null sees skepticism out there, but he looks to the data continuing to support the value of a college degree.
“There are trends in other directions that require even higher qualifications. In many healthcare and engineering careers, a master’s degree is essential. I’m happy to report that there has been little impact at Baylor, where we’re getting record numbers of applications, and interest in a Baylor degree is as strong as it has ever been.”
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Dr. Perryman arrived at Baylor in 1971 as a freshman from a small Texas town and, as a first-generation college student — and first-generation high school graduate, too — he was amazed to meet classmates with multi-generational legacies.
“And in some cases, names on buildings,” he said. “The adjustment process was quite real then and likely much more so today.”
“I can also speak to the amazing opportunities that higher education brought not only to me but to my entire family,” Perryman added. “My life trajectory was fundamentally altered. This door needs to be opened for everyone going forward, and it will require concerted efforts by educational institutions to ensure that it happens.”
Additional reporting by Kourtney Nering
