Experiences of first-generation students in Chilean universities: Realities and challenges

Abstract

This phenomenological study explores the experiences of first-generation, Chilean university students and the ways in which those experiences influence their levels of adjustment and retention. EPG is defined as those students with a low socio-economic status and whose parents or guardians have not attended or graduated from a university. In this article, I use 11 semistructured interviews to analyze the experiences of participants from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. The results show the limits of universities´ willingness to help and facilitate EPG persistence and retention.