For most students, going to college means following in their parents’ footsteps. However, there is a small minority at Langley who will be the first members of their family to graduate from college.

The students in this category are considered “first generation,” meaning their parents never graduated from a traditional college in the United States. These three featured students are part of this group, but are nonetheless pursing higher education after high school.

Shan Jois

Junior Shan Jois’s parents attended college in India, qualifying Shan as a first generation student. Although Jois’s parents do not have experience with the college process in the United States, they have been involved with Jois’s exploration of different schools. Jois and his family are currently focusing on schools in Virginia and D.C. To help with his college search, Jois is also a member of Langley’s College Partnership Program, an organization that provides first generation students with tools and resources to help them get into schools and stay motivated about college. Jois is an active member in the program and has been on several college visits that the CPP has offered in order to determine where he wants to go and what he wants to study. As of now, Jois’ top choice of school is American University because of its communications and marketing program. Eventually he hopes to be a representative for the Washington Capitals, and notes that American University “would be the right college to help me pursue that goal.”

Sarah

Sarah is currently in the process of exploring colleges her junior year because she believes first generation has served as a means of motivation. “I think the fact that neither of my parents had finished college makes me really push myself to do better,” she said. Both of her parents had hopes of attending college when growing up in Iran. However, her mother could not attend due to religious rules that restricted her from going to the school she had planned. On the other hand, her father came to the United States as a teenager and began studying at George Washington University. But because of a revolution in Iran, his parents could not send money abroad to pay for his continued education and he dropped out in order to begin his own company. Regardless of these restrictions, her parents are presently helping her prepare for her own college experience, aiding her in college research and visiting campuses with her in order to form opinions about different schools. She encourages others in her situation, noting that being first generation should not be looked at “as a negative thing. It can push you to do better and be the first person in your family to graduate.”

John Lee

For senior John Lee, being first generation did not stand in the way of being successful in high school and ultimately landing a spot at a top university. Although his parents did not go to college, Lee notes that he has still always felt a “pressure to succeed.” Lee’s parents grew up in rural South Korea, and due to finances, neither attended college there. Because of this, Lee’s father joined the military after graduating high school; his mother’s family was only able to send their son to school because, according to Lee, “back then it was customary in Korea to put the males into college first.” Because his family is new to the process, Lee had to stay organized and committed with his college applications. “One of the worst things about being a first generation student was filling out college apps,” he said. “Since my parents weren’t familiar with the whole application process, I had to complete all of it by myself.” For others who feel foreign to the process, Lee encourages turning to others for help. “If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask your counselors, teachers and the Career Center,” he said. “They are there and willing to help you.” After months of hard work and preparation, Lee has been accepted at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and has committed to attending there next fall.