Overcoming the Odds: First-Generation College Students' Journey to Higher Education in the Global South—A Phenomenological Study From Ghana

Abstract

This study offers critical insights into the experiences of First-Generation College Students (FGCS) in Ghana. This phenomenological study included 18 undergraduate FGCS at a large public university in Ghana. By examining the challenges and coping mechanisms of FGCS, the research provides a holistic view of FGCS experiences in West Africa using evidence from Ghana's higher education. These contributions enhance our understanding of FGCS experiences in non-Western contexts and offer valuable insights for improving support mechanisms. The study findings revealed numerous challenges for FGCS that impede their advancement in university settings. The study identifies various challenges faced by FGCS, such as financial distress, limited social capital, isolation, and psychological distress, thereby contributing to a nuanced understanding of FGCS experiences in non-Western settings. The study highlights these students' unsustainable and potentially harmful coping strategies, addressing an under-researched aspect of their experiences. The findings emphasise the need for higher education institutions to address FGCS's unique circumstances, offering insights into policies and practices to improve access, retention, and graduation rates. Practical strategies for supporting FGCS, such as providing logistical support, improving the social environment for FGCS, and collaboratively examining existing processes for impediments, are proposed to guide institutions in developing targeted interventions to simplify the higher education process and journey toward FGCS.