At the turn of the 20th century, the majority of students were white male adolescents, primarily sons of doctors, lawyers , ministers, successful merchants and many others. -farmers to do (Jenkins, Miyazaki and Janosi). First-generation college students are a new demographic when it comes to the college population. First-generation students are the first in their family to attend college and plan to be the first in their family to graduate. According to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, first-generation students make up 43% of the student population (Nunez, Cuccaro-Alamin, and Carroll.). This is a completely new demographic compared to the previous student population. Today's society emphasizes the importance of college degrees and is experiencing a drastic increase in the number of first-generation college students. Despite the fact that many students have already cleared the initial hurdle of applying and gaining admission to college, these students face many challenges that non-first-generation students do not face. However, the majority of these students face risk factors in their college experience that non-first-generation students do not. One of the main differences I have noticed is the lack of participation of first-generation students in campus activities, clubs, or organizations. Campus engagement is known to enhance a student's academic and personal development. Students involved in extracurricular activities learn to work, communicate, and solve problems with others. They have more developed ideas, beliefs and opinions. They also have more self-esteem and speaking skills, which will definitely help them once they graduate and enter the job market. With all the benefits... middle of paper ...... legitimate peers, the need to work while in college, racial and ethnic differences, and being a mother can further complicate the challenges. We know that one thing that is beneficial for students is getting involved on campus. This will be helpful academically, socially, personally, and hopefully in the future, economically. However, creating a fair and equal institutional environment for all students would mean meeting the needs of all demographic groups. We have established that first-generation students are a new demographic and that there is a need to address the needs of this group of students. Until the system makes it easier for those who want to earn a degree while maintaining other responsibilities, the number of college-educated students without a degree will pose an ongoing challenge to the education sector. higher education (Unknown).