Parent Resources

Even though your student’s transition to college involves a lot of change in your family, please rest assured that your student needs your support and encouragement now more than ever. You play a critical role in your student's academic and personal success, and Azusa Pacific University is delighted to partner with you to support your student’s college career.

Helpful Resources for First-Generation Students and Their Families Before College

• College Advice from First-Generation College Students
• Five Things Families of First-Generation Students Need to Know

Readings for First-Generation College Students and Their Families

The following books may also serve as helpful resources for first generation college students regarding the academic demands of college. These books offer helpful strategies for academic and personal success.

• The First-Generation College Experience by Amy Baldwin
• First in the Family: Advice about College from First-Generation Students - Your College Years by Kathleen Cushman
• Cornerstones for First-Generation Learners by Robert Sherfield and Patricia Moody
• Reality Check: A College Student’s Survival Guide by John Mikaelian

There are also a number of titles by first generation college students about their experiences in college. These books can be helpful and encouraging to your students.

• The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Lisa Frazier Page, Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt
• The Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez
• Giants Among Us: First-Generation College Graduates Who Lead Activist Lives by Sandria Rodriguez
• Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream by Joshua Davis
• Lives on the Boundary: The Struggles and Achievements of America’s Underprepared by Mike Rose