First Generation: Navigating College In Georgia When You're The First In Your Family To Attend

One-third of today's college students are the first in their families to enroll in college, according to the U.S. Department of Education. But first-generation college students often encounter greater financial hardship, overwhelmingly bureaucratic paperwork and the difficulty of navigating an environment with which they perhaps don't have much familiarity.On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott speaks with Shahzaib Jiwani, Lloyd George and Sandra Godina.

To learn more about first-generation college student experiences in Georgia, we spoke with three people who attended Georgia schools. Shahzaib Jiwani, vice president of Elite Healthcare Center in Washington, D.C., graduated from Oglethorpe University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Lloyd George, founder of web design agency Big Loop, studied business at Georgia Perimeter College. Sandra Godina, impact manager at Education Opens Doors in Dallas, Texas, has a bachelor's degree in social studies education from the University of Georgia.

They explained the ways their families discussed college, the challenges they faced at school and how they found their places on campus.