Abstract:
In modern higher education, retention has become an ever-increasing problem for institutions of higher education. Among those fresh faces arriving on campus are first generation and non-first generation students. Each will arrive with their own ambitions, desires, strengths, and weaknesses. For non-first generation students, there is a perception of having been there before. They have parents or siblings that have attended post-secondary institutions before them, they speak the language, and they know the hoops to jump through. On the other hand, there are first generation students who, other than university employees and administrators, when they arrive may not have a single person that they can speak to concerning their fears and expectations for the first year. This study examined the self-reported levels of self-efficacy and motivation among first year students at a liberal arts college. Second, the survey asked about the students' level of college preparedness, including advanced credit, hours of study per week and course registration. Finally, the survey also collected data on first year challenges typically associated with all first year students including weight gain, sleeplessness, consumption of alcohol and inquired about academic dishonesty. The overarching question that this study aimed to examine was there a difference between self-reported levels of self-efficacy and motivation among first generation and non-first generation students. Secondly, did first year challenges play a factor at all in how they viewed their first year and to compare the two groups for those differences. The results of the quantitative analysis were compiled and there were a number of assumptions that ended up not really having much merit in fact and some others that held true to long held beliefs. The study showed that first generation students do have less self-efficacy than do non-first generation students, however their levels of motivation are not all that different from their classmates. The results also showed some differences concerning how the students handled their first year experiences regarding weight gain and their academic dishonesty. Once the results of the study were known, a number of conclusions and findings were discussed, including recommendations for practice and recommendations for future research.
