If you are a first-generation student looking to attend college, then this could be a great tool for you. In this class, we cover many of the key components in the TCT ‘Core’ Class, but with a focus on first-generation students. When finished with your class, please enter your email address. Here we will send you your answers, along with a certificate of completion. You will have the ability to also share your answers with your teacher, counselor, or parents. Click play below to start class now!

Welcome, everyone to The College Tour’s Class designed for First-Generation Students. I’m Alex Boylan, Co-Founder and Host of The College Tour TV series… and I will be your guide through this class. First off… I want to thank you for being here. Being the first in your immediate family to go to college is exciting, but can also be challenging. Navigating the cost for college, applications, admissions, scholarships, and much more can be very overwhelming, but we are here to help.
This class is video-based. The videos in this class are curated from The College Tour TV series.

We will pose a question, give guidance on what short videos to watch, and then you will add in your answers from what you learned. The stars of the video segments are your peers. The stories they tell are authentic and real and many of them are also first-generation students.
There are two main goals of this class. #1: We want to help inspire you on your pathway to higher education and help make your college research not so overwhelming. #2: We want to bring colleges and college stories to YOU, especially if you are unable to tour in person. All sound good? I’ll see you in the next video, everyone.

After watching the video above, click Next below to continue.

There are many very important factors you will take into account when choosing a college – cost, scholarships, academic rating, financial aid, sports programs, acceptance rate, graduation rate, student/teacher ratio, proximity to home, etc. But we are going to shine a light on 5 key categories in this class:

1. First Generation Student Perspectives
2. College Type
3. College Culture
4. Majors
5. Location

In The College Tour TV Series, we have featured a lot of first-generation students from all types of institutions, telling their stories. Please watch the videos below and let us know which stories most resonate with you and why.

There are many different types of colleges and universities out there. There are large state universities, smaller private liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. There are schools that focus on agriculture or research, while others that are more technical. There are also schools with various affiliations – religious schools, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCU’s, etc. So which one is right for you? Watch some of the videos below and write down which college type makes sense for you! And I’ll see you in the next video.

Campus culture is an important aspect of choosing the right college for you. Each college has its own vibe, traditions, academic programs, clubs, school spirit, etc. Finding one that matches your personality will enhance your college experience greatly. Watch some of the videos below to get a sense of some different campus ‘cultures’. Once finished, write your answer down about the kind of campus culture you are looking for. And I’ll see you in the next video.

At some point in your college journey, you will need to choose your major. I bet there are some of you out there that have always known what you wanted to be as a professional… but I bet there are a lot out there that don’t know. But we are here to help… whether you want to study engineering, entrepreneurship, nursing, communications, or any of the hundreds of other majors out there. Watch some of the videos below and write down one or more majors you are interested in. And I’ll see you in the final video.

You’ve heard the term – “Location, location, location!” – many times. Well, there is a reason – location is key. For some – you might want to be in a small campus town in a rural area. Some might want to go to school where the campus is right in a major city. Some might want to go to school right next to a major city so you have access to internships. Some might want to be close to home. Some of you might not yet know. There are no right or wrong answers here. This is merely a tool to get you to start thinking about it. Watch one or more videos from each category below and list what type of location you liked the best and why. And I’ll see you in the next video.

You have now heard stories from your peers with various backgrounds, who attend different types of colleges and gotten an idea on a wide range of subjects. Remember, we are here to be one of your resources whenever you need us. Just go to thecollegetour.com, watch episodes, research more on our ‘Tour’ pages, watch our digital series Navigating Financial Aid and Ask Admissions and have fun! We hope you enjoyed the class. I hope to see you on campus real soon! Cheers.

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