As a first-generation, low-income (FGLI) student who, this time last year, was considering where to attend college, I have been reflecting on my decision to attend Princeton. I find that it was the right one.
After being accepted to Princeton during the early action round, I was still anxiously waiting for Ivy Day, when all eight Ivy League institutions collectively release decisions. I was overjoyed to receive three additional acceptances from Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard, but also overwhelmed by the prospect of navigating such a momentous decision about my future.
For any prospective FGLI student in a similar position — deciding between multiple prestigious institutions — Princeton’s pre-college programs and FGLI academic programming make it the best choice for a smoother transition into college with all the support you need during your time here and beyond.
Beyond Princeton’s nation-leading financial aid, the Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI) was one of the most crucial factors in my decision. Studies suggest that first-gen students face obstacles after enrollment that can lower the probability of their graduation: six years after beginning college, 24 percent of first-gen students had earned a bachelor’s degree, compared to 59 percent of continuing-gen students. Summer bridge year programs can mitigate these obstacles during students’ initial period of transition, rather than leaving them struggling to find support in a time of readjustment. Research finds that these programs work — students who go through these programs can take on a more rigorous course load during their first year of college without a decrease in their grades.
During the summer before their first year, FGLI students and students from underrepresented communities are invited to attend FSI and take summer classes in preparation for the academic year. Students take Ways of Knowing — a small epistemology seminar that introduces Princeton’s rigorous academics — in addition to another class that depends on their particular academic interests.
Students also attend a series of workshops that provide information on the vast resources available to them, such as the Center for Career Development and the Writing Center, which are especially important given that they may need more help than other students but are less likely to ask for it.
Coming from an underfunded high school in semi-rural Kentucky, I expected to struggle during my first year and fall behind my better-prepared peers. However, I made it through my first semester with less difficulty than expected, which was partly because of the classes I took and the mentorship I received during FSI. This academic support and community building extends beyond the summer into the Scholars Institute Fellows Program (SIFP). Through SIFP, students join mentorship groups led by upperclassmen and have access to extended precepts and winter internship funding. Relationships with professors and consistent academic support also continue: every Monday, I and many other FGLI students attend the SIFP Math Table — recurring office hours led by mathematics Lecturer Dr. David Villalobos.
While Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, and peer institutions offer similar opportunities, Princeton’s FSI program appealed to me the most. Unlike Princeton, Harvard’s bridge program does not offer summer intro classes for its FGLI students, while Columbia’s program does not offer credit for classes taken by students attending their bridge program. Cornell’s equivalent summer program is mandatory — and my acceptance was contingent upon my participation in the program.
In contrast, students are not required to attend FSI, meaning that everyone who spends their summer there is doing so because they truly wish to, not because they have to. This collective engagement and interest in the program, combined with the connections developed between students, relationships with faculty members, and increased awareness of Princeton’s resources, makes participation in FSI synonymous with the formation of a strong, genuine, and lasting community. Making participation in programs like FSI mandatory takes away from the formation of this community by removing students’ ability to control their own academic journey.
I am sure that I would have had a good experience at any of the institutions that accepted me and that there truly was no wrong choice. However, the specific situations that FGLI students must consider make deciding where to attend college an even more difficult process than it already is. To all FGLI prospective students reading The Daily Princetonian like I was when trying to decide which college to attend: rest assured that you will be taken care of here, and we hope to see you at this year’s FSI program.
Jorge Reyes is a named opinion columnist for the ‘Prince.’ You can read his column, “No Tiger Left Behind,” every three weeks on Wednesday here. He intends to major in Chemistry and is from Louisville (Loo-uh-vul), KY. He can be reached at jr7982[at]princeton.edu
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