I was. Nobody even told me about SATs until the day we signed up and took it. Surprise!
I didn't even think about college, ever, growing up and figured out the Financial Aid form on my own. Of course I had to ask my mom for tax return info but it was completely up to me to make it happen. I didn't even apply to multiple colleges because of the application fee. I don't really talk about how clueless I was in real life. I am just thankful it all came together.
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I was. My dad grew up in poverty in a developing country and dropped out of school at age 10 to work. He went to a trade school after he immigrated to the US. My mom also grew up in poverty but got an associate's degree. I went to college and so did my younger brother. It was absolutely an expectation that we would both go.
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Sort of...one of my grandmothers started college but dropped out to marry my grandpa. One of my uncles got an associates degree and one of my aunts (on the other side of the family) got a bachelors. But neither of my parents went to college until my dad made a midlife career change and got an associates a decade after I graduated from college (and a couple years after I got my law degree). So even though we technically had other people in the family who went to college, I still *felt* like I was the first -- particularly since none of my older cousins did, so I was the first in my generation to do so. Even so, my parents were adamant that I go to college and were very supportive along the way, so I never felt hindered in the application process or anything.
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No, both of my parents were the first. My grandparents barely had much education and their children (my parents) learned about college as a real possibility for them as adults. My mom had an employer who recognized she was smart and encouraged her to enroll in school. She was even an UPenn transfer student. My dad worked for several months in a row to pay for a semester of college and would go when he could. Then, he was drafted. The GI Bill really allowed him to pursue college more consistently.
My husband was the first in his immediate family, but maybe an aunt or uncle went first in his parent's generation- IDK. His family seems to have lifted themselves out of poverty by joining the military. FIL is a Marine.
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My grandfather was the first to go to college on my dad's side. My mom was the first on her side. Both of my parents have PhDs.
DH's parents both went too. His dad is 90 and has a masters degree. -
Don't know about my grandparents, but my parents both went to college. My mom was actually a nurse in Korea but gave that up to help my dad run a small business when they came to the states.
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Basically everyone in my family went to college--my maternal grandparents, my parents, most of my aunts/uncles, all 6 of us siblings in my family.
However, other than the expectation that we go to college, my parents did not emphasize academics much at all. No one ever suggested to me that a person might study for the SATs, and my parents didn't care much about my grades as long as I wasn't failing. They didn't help any of us financially with college or our living expenses.
But I still realize that even just the fact that in my family, college was an expectation for everyone is quite a privilege compared to some families. One of my best friends in HS had similar grades as me (As and Bs) but her brother was a downright genius who skipped a grade. Neither of them went to college because their parents hadn't gone and told them it was too expensive, they would never be able to afford it, it was better to start working immediately, etc.
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yep! My dad went into the Air Force and my mom went to work for the Govt after high school. I was the youngest of 4 kids and the 1st one to go to college.
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My parents didn't go, but my brother went before me!
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I am the first to have a 4 year degree and then a masters after that. My parents both have the equivalent of an associates degree.
Neither of my inlaws have a college degree, my husband is the only one of his siblings to have a 4 year degree.
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Yes, my grandparents and parents didn't go to college, and none of my mom's siblings went to college. My mom's parents grew up in really poor families and dropped out of school before high school. My grandmother started working to support herself and her family, and my grandfather served in the Marines and the Army.
There was always an expectation that I would go to college. I went to a pretty competitive public high school and I was in AP classes so I definitely knew I would be taking the SAT and applying to college.
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Not at all! My grandmother who was born in 1913 was even a college graduate. I don't know about my other grandparents but it was a huge deal back then that she went to college. It was always expected that we would go to college. My sisters didn't always do well in school but still they went to college. It just wasn't an option for us!
I think DH was only the second in his immediate family to go to college, after his older sister. At least his parents did not but I don't know about his grandparents or further back. -
No, my dad's parents both went to college. My dad also went. My mom and her family did not until my oldest cousin went.
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@PurplePeony: Now that you mention it, I have an uncle that went to college on a baseball scholarship and his wife too. I didn't talk to them about it all though. I remember them marveling that I had done everything on my own when I was done though. I think I just really wanted to delay working full time and enjoyed school. Well, mainly the social aspect ...but the learning was ok too. I actually had a blast in college and learned a ton. Some of the best years in my life. I also paid off everything within a few months of graduating. I got a lot of grants, worked in campus housing for awhile and paid as I went.
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Nope. Neither of my mom's parents went to college, but both she and her brother have advanced degrees. On my dad's side, my grandfather went to college, but I don't think my grandmother went. My dad has a law degree. It would have been bizarre to my parents if I hadn't gone to college.
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My older sister was. She landed a full scholarship to a private college for her missions and leadership work in our community and her amazing grades. She actually had a choice of two private schools that offered her good scholarships- of course she went with the full one. She finished her four year degree with less than 10k in debt.
It was a very different road for me because in high school, I never took academics seriously partly because I was homeschooled- it wasn't a good fit after middle school. I struggled a lot. I wanted to go to college, but couldn't afford the cost and didn't want to end up grossly in debt. So I did community college route and paid as I went. I finished my two year degree, then got married, had my son, and decided to go back! It's good it worked out the way- I have less debt as a result and made a better career choice than I would have otherwise.
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No; both my parents attended and graduated college.
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Kind of both par ers have AS degree I was first to get bachelors
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No; college was always the expectation growing up (and has been for several generations). Both my parents are college grads, as are my grandparents. My grandfather went to college somewhat later in life, in order to make the jump from enlisted to officer in the army; which has been the college pathway of several of my family members (all in order to jump to officer ranking).
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Not by a long shot on either side.
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My parents both have college degrees. My dad's parents came to america from Greece has teenagers (separately and met here) so neither of them went to college. My mom's dad graduated from Tufts and I believe his father did was well. My mom didn't go to college (married my grandfather when she was 19 and he was in the Navy so she didn't really have an opportunity to).
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nope. my dad has a PhD and my mom a masters. us kids are slacking with only our bachelors!
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Yes.
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Second. My dad was the first. I completed three programs in 6 years. No more school ever, I hope.
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I was and was in the same place as you, but glad it all worked out.
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I was the first one to get my bachelors. Both of my parents just have their associates.
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No, but I am the first to graduate from college.
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No, both of my parents graduated, all four of my grandparents attended but only 3 graduated, and at least four of my great-grandparents graduated. Plus my grandparents' siblings, my father's siblings, and most of my cousins. It was never an option in my house.
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I'm a 3rd generation college grad.
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I am the first person in my family (both sides) to attend or graduate from a traditional 4 year college. Since I graduated, my mom went back to school and got her bachelor's. I'm so proud of her!
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Nope my parents were they first in their families to go to college and to get post grad degrees. same with DH so we are both 2nd gen of college grads
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Yes. My parents graduated from high school equivalent in Vietnam. My older sister finished high school but never went to college.
I was the first one to go. I knew if I wanted to go I would have to pay for it so although I went to a well known university in my state, I opted to go to a smaller branch campus so I was less inclined to party. I'm glad I went to the location I did, I was less of a number but got the well known degree on my resume.
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First to graduate. My oldest brother didn't go, my next brother attended one semester before joining the military and dropping out, my sister went to community college for 1 day and then decided to get married and get a job instead. I went to undergrad and professional school - I'm the youngest.
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My mom has a bachelor's degree. My dad started college but didn't finish. I'm honestly not sure about my grandparents. I'm the first in my family to have a graduate degree.
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Yes. Since then though, my dad, aunt and cousin have been and graduated.
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No, both my parents and my older sister went to college before me.
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