Running head: THREE AT-RISK POPULATIONS 1

Three At-Risk Populations

Exsa Y. Smith

Northern Arizona University

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Three At-Risk Populations

At-risk students come in all shapes, sizes and colors. First generation students, minority

male students, and veterans are all different classifications of at-risk students. It is important for

college institutions to be aware of at-risk students and make it a priority to assist these students

to help them succeed and complete college.

At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill first generation students stated the

factors and hesitancies of being first time students. They didnt know anyone. They felt lost,

overwhelmed and unprepared. They didnt have parents that could lead the way for them. They

stated there was pressure to succeed and had insufficient academic preparation and limited

college knowledge. First generation students wished teachers knew they were shy and that they

would go easy on them. This list goes on with all the potential barriers that could keep first

generation students from attending college and being successful (First generation, n.d.). These

trials are not only for first generation students starting out at college but they are also the factors

that cause these students to be at-risk and can affect them while in college, leading to them not

succeeding.

Minority male students deal with many reasons which cause them to be at risk. For

minority male students, color undermines a sense of belonging. These students are less prepared

for college. Social science research shows factors that cause these students to be at-risk including

that they binge drink more, fight more, smoke more cigarettes, eat less healthy foods, and are

less inclined to seek help for counseling or sickness (Harper, 2012).

Veterans encounter factors when coming back to school. It is hard for them. One student

said he tried to force himself through college but he called it quits. Veterans face issues in the
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military such as not feeling like they are treated like humans. All veterans are just people.

Theyve been in tough situations but they dont want to be treated differently. Veterans become

familiar with being in the military and sometimes dont know how to act in civilization (Student

veterans, n.d.). This causes issues for veterans which leads them to being at-risk.

Even though first generation students, minority male students, and veterans are all

different types of students, they all face the challenges which cause them to be at-risk. College

institutions as a whole including the provost, deans, instructors, and staff can become involved

with helping at-risk students. I feel that institutions have many avenues to become involved in

helping at-risk students. First, they need to become aware and make it a goal that they want

achieve this goal to help at-risk students including those that are first generation students,

minority male students and veterans. Institutions need to help faculty members understand the

biases against male black students (Harper, 2012) and any type of student.

Getting students involved with activities that are going on around campus can help

students. Instructors asking students directly to come into talk to them and asking students

questions to get to know them and help them feel comfortable are ways to help students. A

retention officer at a small community college stated he has several items in his office so that

when a student comes into his office and sees something that is familiar to them, he can use it as

a conversation piece to get to know the student and to hopefully help the student (J. Pryor,

personal communication, February 3, 2016).

Institutions can educate students on what resources are best for them and encourage them

to check out resources that are available (Harper, 2012). There can be activities on campus

within organizations that are for particular groups of students to help them feel comfortable. I
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feel that if institutions communicate with all parties of the campus and work together as a team,

they can create an atmosphere that will be comfortable for all types of students that attend

college especially those at-risk.

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References

First generation college students at Carolina - Strategies to advocate for their success. UNC

College of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved from

https://bblearn.nau.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_125138_

1&content_id=_4494547_1&mode=view

Harper S. (Keynote Address). (2012, January 27). 2012 forum on minority male student success.

Recorded at the Carolina Inn. Retrieved from

https://bblearn.nau.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_125138_

1&content_id=_4494547_1&mode=view

Student veterans transition into college. The Orion: Videos, news, opinion, sports, arts.

Retrieved from

https://bblearn.nau.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_125138

_1&content_id=_4494547_1&mode=view