First in school, last in line: Navigating college applications as a first generation college student

By Yasmin Abrar

October 7, 2026

Youthcast Media Group®

Growing up in Washington, D.C. as the second oldest of 4 children in an Ethiopian immigrant family, I was expected to go to college. After all, this is the country of limitless opportunities, my parents said.

My mother and father never graduated from high school in Ethiopia. Instead, they poured all their stifled dreams and hopes into my post-secondary education. At the age of three, I emigrated from Ethiopia with my mom and sister. In Ethiopia, higher education was rare and filial duty outweighed pursuing individual dreams— college was not even aspirational.

That’s why I grabbed every opportunity from elementary school on. I joined academic programs such as MITES Semester, Princeton Summer Journalism Program, and Bring the Lessons Home at the Holocaust Museum. I took countless accelerated classes and taught classes to Pre-K to 4th grade students on weekends. I volunteered at my local clinic, Mary Center, and middle school, McFarland Middle School. I excelled academically. I thought by doing all this, I would be prepared for college applications. 

Instead, I felt lost.

I was a high school freshman when I started researching colleges in the United States. I looked for schools where I could grow my interest in public health, advocacy, and medicine, but more importantly: a college my parents could realistically afford. I found myself constantly toggling between college and university websites and Google. Every few minutes, I had a new question. What was the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? Why did some schools also need a “CSS Profile” — an application used by universities to award non-federal student aid? What was the difference between Early Action and Early Decision? How could one get a fee waiver for college applications that can rise up to $100 or more?

I was expected to apply to colleges. Yet I barely understood the process in itself. 

Yasmin Abrar (courtesy of Abrar).

As a first-generation college applicant, I quickly learned that there was a tremendous difference between being expected to attend college and learning how to apply. While my classmates' parents were stepping up to assist with applications, researching scholarships, and navigating financial aid packages, my parents were lost. 

This rite of passage was not something they could understand. I often found myself falling behind and missing out on amazing opportunities. One of my childhood friends, who is also a first-generation student, had the same experience.

“It was humbling,” said the now-college graduate, 21, who preferred not to be named. “Everyone’s parents knew what to do except mine. They wanted to help, but they were just as clueless as I.”  

When college admission officers talk about applications, they focus heavily on grades and extracurricular activities. But they forget about the hidden advantages of having someone at home who can give you guidance from experience; knowing which scholarships are best; recognizing which schools offer stellar programs and graduation rates. None of this was offered to me.

I’m not alone in this experience. 54% of undergraduate students in the United States in 2020 were first-generation college students, according to FirstGen Forward, a resource for students who are the first in their family to attend college. ,. 

And for many first-generation students, the lack of guidance can be detrimental. Only 28% of first-gen students reported getting help from parents on applications, according to a recent study by Columbia University. And more than a quarter of students in that same study reported struggling with finding resources once they were on campus. 

These are not some far away statistics; this is happening in my home.

Being the first leaves a nagging feeling in your head, wondering if you missed something,  if you're behind or if you did something wrong. Did I submit the right form? Am I applying for any scholarships? Is there a program I should know about? Did I make a mistake on my application?

Yasmin Abrar, left, and her sister, Sebrin Abrar (courtesy of Abrar).

Questions like these become part of everyday life.

One cannot blame this on a lack of ambition. This is a limit to ambition. 

If anything, many first-generation students carry extra pressure. We carry the expectations for generations before  us who did not have the opportunity to attend college. We are pursuing an education for ourselves, but also for them. 

My parents have always supported my education. In fact, they are my biggest supporters and they dream of me becoming a doctor.  But, support and experience are not the same thing. There are moments I wish I had someone to rely on to tell me exactly what to expect, how to navigate the process, or even reassure me that my hard work is enough. 

Instead, I have to learn as I go.

Yasmin Abrar is a senior at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C. She worked with Youthcast Media Group journalist-mentor and American University Assistant Professor Emerita Amy Eisman on this story.