Identity Development and University Adjustment

Abstract

Colleges and universities across the U.S. continue their efforts to enroll students from diverse backgrounds. Those students from lower socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds and first in their family to attend college have been found to experience a great deal of challenges once enrolled. Individuals from different class backgrounds have been shown to experience a different form of socialization, which may influence their experiences in higher education both positively and negatively. There is limited research, however, on how the presence of internal and external characteristics influence the way in which students make sense of themselves within these new environments. This is particularly true when these experiences are viewed through the lens of SES background and first-generation status.