Abstract
Higher education institutions have implemented many initiatives to support first-generation college students’ (FGCS) persistence to degree completion; however, many FGCS fail to persist beyond their freshman year (Forrest Cataldi et al., 2018). Many FGCS are able to benefit from secondary and postsecondary supports as they move from kindergarten to completion of their baccalaureate degree, more specifically defined as the K-16 educational pipeline (Bourdieu, 1987, 2000, 2002; Soria & Stebleton, 2012; Banks, 2012). However, K-16 supports have still not met FGCS needs, with many students experiencing periods of decline in their involvement and academic preparation compared to their continuing-generation peers (Banks, 2012; Bourdieu, 1987, 2000, 2002; Soria & Stebleton, 2012; Whitley et al., 2018). The current study aimed to understand secondary and postsecondary supports through the K-16 pipeline to help FGCS persist to degree completion. We examined whether FGCS postsecondary preparation experiences (PSPE) influence their involvement in college and, in turn, their persistence to degree completion. This study used secondary data from the National Center for Education Statistics High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS: 09) to answer the research questions. Results from a multi-group path analysis found positive relationships among PSPE, college involvement, and persistence to degree completion; however, the effects of PSPE on college involvement and, in turn, on persistence to degree completion were weaker for FGCS compared to their continuing-generation peers. These results support the conceptual premise that FGCS need college preparation experiences in high school that are well aligned with higher education practices to create equity with their continuing-generation peers. A collaborative approach spanning K-16 is recommended to support the FGCS journey to a bachelor’s degree. We believe that collaboration among all stakeholders is needed to support a path to persistence and degree completion for FGCS.