Resources for First Generation and/or Low Income and/or Underrepresented College-Bound Students
What is a first generation college-bound student? First-generation students are those who are in the first generation of their family to go to college. There are many resources to support this population of students, and students should self identify with their counselor to learn about the college going assistance available to them. In addition, below are links to some of the many valuable resources:
What is an "underrepresented" college-bound student? “Underrepresented” in higher education refers to racial and ethnic populations that are disproportionately lower in number relative to their number in the general population, and “historically” means that this is a ten year or longer trend.
Resources for First Generation/Low Income/Underrepresented College-bound students
Resources for First Generation/Low Income/Underrepresented College-bound students ![]()
Resources for First Generation/Low Income/Underrepresented College-bound students
Federal Trio Programs: The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.
The Puente Project: The PUENTE Project is a national award-winning program that for more than 30 years has improved the college-going rate of tens of thousands of California's educationally underrepresented students. Its mission is to increase the number of educationally disadvantaged students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities, earn college degrees and return to the community as mentors and leaders to future generations. The program is interdisciplinary in approach, with writing, counseling and mentoring components.
Questbridge: QuestBridge is a powerful platform bridging the nation's brightest, under-served youth and leading institutions of higher education and further opportunities. We are an aggregator of excellence. QuestBridge provides a single, internet-based meeting point which links exceptional students with colleges, scholarship providers, enrichment programs, employers, and organizations seeking students who have excelled despite obstacles. By facilitating these exchanges, QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented low-income students attending the nation's best universities and the ranks of national leadership itself.
I'm First: There's something special about being the first, and especially being the first in your family to attend and graduate from college. I'm First! is an online community for first-generation college students—and their supporters. Hear inspiring stories and share your own, discover colleges that care about first-gen students, find answers to your questions about college, and receive guidance on the road to and through college.
EOP - Equal Opportunity Programs (on college campuses): EOP is designed to improve access and retention of historically low-income and educationally disadvantaged students. EOP students have the potential and demonstrated motivation to perform satisfactorily at a college, but they have not been able to realize their potential because of their economic or educational background. The program can provide admission and academic assistance to EOP-eligible undergraduate students. In many cases, the program offers financial assistance to eligible students. Colleges tailor their programs to accommodate the needs of their student population. Search "EOP" on each college campus for details about their programs! Below are some useful links:
