College can be confusing for first-generation students – but it doesn’t have to be

In his new book, “Degrees of Risk: Navigating Insecurity and Inequality in Public Higher Education,” sociology professor Blake R. Silver examines some of many ways that college students can slip through the cracks at public colleges and universities. In the following Q&A with The Conversation U.S., Silver expounds on what he discovered while doing research for his book – and how higher education leaders can better serve their students.

How are colleges creating uncertainty?

Colleges don’t set out to make life complicated for their students, but they often play a direct role in creating and amplifying uncertainty. This is one of the central findings of my new book.

Following a period of comparable economic security during the mid-20th century, public colleges in the U.S. experienced steep funding cuts. The result was that many of them instituted policies and practices that appealed to affluent students and families. For example, they created flexible programs of study and organized an array of optional resources like a buffet of opportunities.

While these characteristics generally appeal to socioeconomically advantaged students, for many others — especially first-generation, low-income, and working-class students — they produce uncertainties that complicate college journeys. Though abundant choices and flexibility may seem broadly appealing, research shows that they can make it difficult to anticipate next steps, and it’s easy for students to get lost. This most directly impacts students whose families are less familiar with navigating college and those with few economic resources to recover from missteps.

Don’t college graduates enjoy more certainty than others?

That’s right. On average, early adulthood is more secure — in terms of career, family, health and a host of other outcomes — for college graduates. What we often miss, though, is the insecurity that confronts students within college, long before they arrive at graduation.

The high costs of college and the uncertainties of the contemporary labor market mean that for many students, tasks like taking out loans, choosing majors, selecting courses and deciding whether to pursue an internship or stick with a part-time job feel high-stakes. And in many ways, they are. The payoff of a college degree, for example, varies significantly by field of study. And we shouldn’t forget that nearly 1 in 3 students who enroll at four-year public institutions don’t graduate with a degree.

What are a few practical ways colleges can do better?

In my book, I describe specific strategies colleges can employ to reduce uncertainty for students. Institutions can begin by weaving structured guidance throughout programs of study. Instead of emphasizing flexibility, many students benefit from focused choices. Flexibility doesn’t have to go away, but students can start with a clearer map of their routes through college and modify their paths when needed.

I also recommend that colleges organize support resources to make them visible, interconnected and proactive. This can be achieved when resources like academic advising, tutoring and career services are integrated within the curriculum, so students don’t need preexisting knowledge of these resources or how to find them.

It also helps to house these services in centralized locations. To proactively boost security, staff should identify specific moments when students need support, rather than waiting for individuals to reach out for help. These are just a few places to start.

What’s some practical advice you have for students?

Though the responsibility for change lies primarily with colleges and policymakers, there are things students do to alleviate uncertainties. Researching my book, students told me about strategies like avoiding opportunities they perceived as risky, such as working unpaid internships, studying abroad or taking private loans.

Many attested to the benefits of asking for help. But not all were comfortable doing so. I spoke with several first-generation, low-income and working-class students who were unsure if requesting assistance from faculty and staff was appropriate.

This pattern also appeared in recent studies by higher education professor Anthony Jack and sociology professor Lisa Nunn. Even when students are inclined to ask for help, the way colleges divide responsibility for student support across disconnected offices leads some students to worry about asking “the wrong person.” As a society, we can press for colleges to improve, but in the meantime, seeking help early and persistently may be the best way for students to succeed.

Blake R. Silver received funding for this project from the American Sociological Association's Fund for the Advancement of the Discipline.