First-generation engineering transfer students: A qualitative study of social and cultural capital

We present the preliminary results of interviews with 18 first-generation engineering transfer students at two institutions. We employ a unique method for categorizing students according to generation status and then examine whether their experiences differ from one another. We then describe the different experiences of transfer students based on parental education status, with a focus on negotiating the transfer process, involvement in extra-curricular activities, the use of study strategies, and assistance received from families. Our early results suggest that it is useful to make finer distinctions between the various levels of parental education (i.e., use three rather than two categories).