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Who’s taking care of our graduate students? The impact of the onboarding process for first-generation students transitioning into graduate school during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Who’s taking care of our graduate students? The impact of the onboarding process for first-generation students transitioning into graduate school during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Content Who’s taking care of our graduate students?:The Impact of the Onboarding Process for
First-Generation Students Transitioning into Graduate School during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by
Vanessa Luis
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF EDUCATION
(EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING)
May 2024
Copyright 2024 Vanessa Luis

© Copyright by Vanessa Luis 2024
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Vanessa Luis certifies the approval of this thesis
Dr. Sheila Bañuelos, Committee Chair
Dr. Atheneus Ocampo, Committee Member
Dr. Harold Waters, Committee Member
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2024

Acknowledgments
I would like to express my gratitude for the contributions of my thesis committee, namely
Dr. Bañuelos, Dr. Ocampo, and Dr. Waters, for their unwavering support throughout the thesis
process. Your guidance and support have been invaluable to me, and I wish to extend my
sincerest appreciation for their efforts and intentions. I am grateful for the constructive feedback
provided by my thesis committee, which has helped to elevate my writing and refine my research
skills. Their guidance and expert insights have enabled me to produce high-quality work and
have contributed significantly to my academic development.
A special thank you to Dr. Bañuelos for their exceptional guidance and unconditional
support during my graduate school journey. Your mentorship extended beyond the confines of
the classroom, as you viewed me not only as a student, but as an individual with unique needs
and aspirations. You have empowered me to become the student and leader I aspire to be, leaving
an indelible impact on me and facilitating my personal growth and development. Your
mentorship has helped me overcome numerous challenges and obstacles, and I am grateful for
your input.
I want to thank my best friends Edna, America, Liz, Jessica, and Aanika that have helped
me along the way process. To Edna, my bestie and writing buddy, I appreciate all the support you
have given me through this thesis process by helping brainstorm, fun coffee shop dates, de-stress
from writing, catch up with life and sharing our experiences as first-gen students in graduate
school. I am happy to have shared this graduate school journey with you and met one of my best
friends. To America, thank you for all the support, laughs, and late night LA activities whenever
I needed to take a distraction away from school and life. You have always found a way to make
vi

me feel better after a rough day and I thank you for that. To Liz, thank you for all your endless
support, deep conversations and moments that you helped uplift me whenever I am feeling down.
I am grateful that you are able to challenge me and also comfort me and could not ask for a better
friend. I appreciate you so much and I don’t think I would’ve been able to have gone through
grad school without all your support and words of wisdom. To Jessica, I am so grateful to have
shared this experience with me going through graduate school together and leaning on you in
times of need. From community college to now educators in the field of higher education and
I’m very proud to call you one of my best friends, but also a mentor. I want to mention how
proud of how far we have come together. To Aanika, I’m so glad that we met during graduate
school and appreciate all the check-ins, conversations, and fun LA activities we have shared
together. I appreciate the support you have given me during our time in grad school.
To my parents, thank you so much for the unconditional support for my academic journey
from community college to graduate school. To my mom who always calls me and to check-in
on me and asks “How are you? … Have you ate?... Do you need anything?” or just to provide
updates on my dog, Puppy. To my dad, who is always repping USC whenever he gets the chance
to and is able to help me financially in some aspects throughout my time in grad school, thank
you. Thank you for everything and your support.
A mis padres, muchas gracias por el apoyo incondicional en mi trayectoria académica
desde el colegio comunitario hasta la escuela de posgrado. A mi mamá que siempre me llama
para ver cómo estoy y me pregunta “¿Cómo estás? … ¿Has comido?… ¿Necesitas algo?” o
simplemente para mandar fotos sobre mi perro Puppy. A mi padre, que siempre representa a la
USC cada vez que tiene la oportunidad y puede ayudarme económicamente en algunos aspectos
durante mi estancia en la escuela de posgrado, gracias. Gracias por todo y su apoyo.
iv

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………i
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………….vi
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..vii
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study………………………………………………………..1
Background of the Problem………………………………………………………5
Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………7
Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………8
Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………9
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………10
Organization of the Study………………………………………………………..10
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature……………………………………………………...12
Literature Review: The Graduate Student Onboarding Proccess ……………….12
Critique of Nancy’s Schlossberg’s Transition Theory…………………………... 32
Chapter 3: Methodology………………………………………………………………… 34
Research Design………………………………………………………………… 35
Site………………………………………………………………………………. 36
Participant Selection…………………………………………………………….. 37
Sampling and Recruitment……………………………………………………… 38
Data Collection and Protocols…………………………………………………... 39
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………… 39
Chapter 4: Findings………………………………………………………………………40
Graduate Student Narratives……………………………………………………. 42
Introduction………………………………………………………………………50
iv

Themes………………………………………………………………………….. 50
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………… 77
Chapter 5: Discussion…………………………………………………………………… 79
Discussion……………………………………………………………………… 79
Limitation……………………………………………………………………… 85
Recommendations for Future Research…………………………………………86
Recommendations for Practice………………………………………………… 87
Chapter 6: Researcher’s Epilogue……………………………………………………… 98
References………………………………………………………………………………101
Appendix A:Screening Questionnaire ………………………………………………… 105
Appendix B: Interview Protocol………………………………………………………. 106
iv

List of Tables
Table 1: 2.1, Three Stages of Transition Theory, Situation…………………………………….26
Table 2: 2.2, 4S Table, Self …………………………………………………………………….28
Table 3: 2.3, 4S Table, Support…………………………………………………………………29
Table 4: 2.4, 4S Table, Strategy………………………………………………………………...30
Table 5: 4.1, Student Participant Background ………………………………………………….47
Table 6: 4.2, Student Enrollment Status……………………………………………………….. 48
Table 7: 4.3, Advice from the Participants ……………………………………………………72
Table 8: 5.1, Recommendations………………………………………………………………...86
Appendix B: Screening Questionnaire…………………………………………………………106
Appendix C: Interview Protocol………………………………………………………………110
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the onboarding process during the
COVID-19 pandemic for first-generation students entering graduate school. Using a qualitative
case study approach, this research sought to understand the onboarding experiences of ten
first-generation graduate students who entered a master's in counseling program in Fall 2021 at a
private highly selective four-year university. Using Schlossberg’s Transition theory, the findings
were categorized using the 4 Ss (support, self, situation and strategies). The following key
themes were found: for support, the participants relied on their counseling community, faculty,
and family; for self, participants experienced imposter syndrome, and felt unprepared; for
situation, participants shared their experiences with the competitive environment; for strategies,
participants relied on therapy, and GroupMe communication during their onboarding experience.
The results of this research provide institutions, schools, and departments, along with faculty and
staff, with a better understanding of the onboarding experiences for first generation graduate
students and recommendations to better support this group of students.
Keywords: first-generation students, graduate students, onboarding process, orientation,
pandemic
vi

1
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study
My introduction to the field of higher education began when I decided to attend a
four-year university right after high school. I knew I wanted to pursue a career in a helping
profession and I thought the only way to do that was through STEM and going into the medical
field. After applying to multiple universities in high school, I decided to attend public California
State University. After submitting all the required documentation and exams to attend the
University, I thought I was ready to transition into my first year at a university. Well, that was not
the case. A month before starting the new academic year I heard back that not all of my
paperwork was processed and I was unable to attend the school. This unanticipated transition led
me to scramble to apply to community college.
As a first-generation, low-income student trying to navigate college was a daunting
experience because I was under the impression that I couldn't take advantage of certain
resources because I had applied late to college. I was also worried that I wasn't able to take some
of the major prep classes for the biology major. Once I began classes a couple weeks later, all I
knew was that I wanted to get involved because that was familiar to me when I was in high
school by participating in extracurricular activities.
As I was looking for opportunities to get involved in community college during my first
year in college, I stumbled upon the Associated Students of Ventura College. Once I was
admitted to the organization, this introduced me to a plethora of opportunities, resources, and
professional development opportunities to make me a successful student and helped me with the
transition as a first-year college student. In this organization, I was exposed to the extended
opportunity program services (EOPS), tutoring center, financial aid help, and many other
vii

2
resources that helped me with my transition to college. As I shared my time in ASVC, slowly but
surely I enjoyed the policy work, community service, and social justice aspect of being a student
leader and this is where I decided to change my major from Biology to Political Science.
In my second year in community college, I had the opportunity to attend my first NASPA
Undergraduate Pre-Conference. This was a very pivotal event for me because this was the first
time I had attended a conference where I was able to do what I loved as a potential career to
work in higher education. I was able to meet a lot of higher education professionals who were
new and seasoned practitioners and got to learn about the NASPA undergraduate fellowship
program, which later I got to be a part of when I transitioned into UC Irvine.
After my two years in community college, I decided to attend California State University,
Long Beach to pursue my bachelor's in Political Science. I was very excited to transition from
community college to a four-year university since that's something I've always dreamed of
pursuing as a young girl. A few months before starting the semester I encountered an
unanticipated circumstance with the university which led me to not attend the university due to
some transferring requirements that we weren't fulfilled. Luckily, I had heard back from the
waitlist at the University of California Irvine and accepted my offer to attend.
Transitioning to UC Irvine was hard for me because I was away from home for the first
time, living on my own, and had no friends coming to Irvine. Once I moved, I noticed there
weren't any mentorship programs for transfer students or groups organized by the institution to
help us with the transition. Luckily, I had lived in a dormitory house where most of the students
were transfer students and were able to share similar experiences about our transition to UCI. But
because I had attended an orientation about a few weeks before starting school, I was able to get
familiar with some of the departments on campus. One thing I kept in mind was that I knew I

3
wanted to look for the NASPA undergraduate fellowship program and held on to it until I was
able to find the right person to put me in that direction. I found it and was able to be part of that
organization once school started. This was my source of community I found at UC Irvine. As I
was transitioning to UC Irvine, NUFP introduced me to many resources and departments on
campus and I was paired with a mentor that worked at UCI. This allowed me to become more
involved on campus and was able to find on campus jobs that would allow me to gain experience
to work in higher education. In my last year of undergrad, I knew I wanted to attend graduate
school as it was a stepping stone to my next goal which was to possibly become a community
college counselor.
I made the decision to attend graduate school, specifically a counseling higher education
program because of the impact practitioners hold on the student experience. I believe it is
important that we have empathy and compassion for our students when we are working with
them because our students come from diverse backgrounds being first-generation,
undocumented, student parents, or coming from an underrepresented group. It’s important to
recognize that these groups tend to have lower retention rates because of outside responsibilities
they may hold that can prevent them from pursuing a higher education.
During the time I decided to apply to graduate school it was also during the height of the
COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year of 2020-2021. Because of this, I knew that the
opportunities for looking for a job were possibly slim due to a lot of budget constraints from
institutions. I had applied to the Post Adminstration in Student Affairs program and Educational
Counseling program at USC to give myself different options and opportunities. While I was
rejected to the PASA program, I was offered the opportunity to be on the waitlist for the
Educational Counseling Program, which I accepted. Approximately two months before school

4
started, I received news that I was accepted. Due to being admitted later, I was unable to attend
some of the new graduate student events, such as Admited Students Day and Preview Day.
Although they were remote and on Zoom, this was also an opportunity for me to meet other
people in my program.
Once I started the onboarding process for graduate school, I noticed that it was not a very
thorough process compared to my undergraduate onboarding experience. A big component of
why I felt the onboarding experience wasn't thorough was because most of the sessions were
remote and offered at sporadic times throughout the week. In comparing this to my
undergraduate experience, everything was in person and also pre-pandemic, where I was able to
make connections with resources on campus. Since my onboarding and orientation were all
remote, this made it difficult to retain some of the information given because a lot of students,
including myself, were experiencing Zoom fatigue. I began to ask my classmates how they felt
about the onboarding process and many of them agreed that it was not as thorough compared to
our undergraduate experience. I also asked other graduate students who were not a part of the
same program but out in different schools and they were also experiencing the same things we
were. I have also attended professional conferences addressing graduate students and there is an
underlying theme that their campuses were also trying different ways to address the needs of the
graduate student population under COVID-19 guidelines.
Over the past decade, there has been an increase in graduate student enrollment and
universities are working to keep up with the demands of this student enrollment. This research is
important because as a graduate student, my goal was to maximize my time in the two years I
was spending on my education, growing my network and attending professional development
events at my campus. I slowly started to notice that not all of my peers got the opportunity to

5
fully immerse themselves into the program. Researching the first-generation graduate student
experience is uniquely important because, as a first-generation student, you are the first in your
family to attend college, often without significant academic support to navigate this experience.
Because there is not enough support for this student population, I knew I wanted to learn more
about the student experience and why they are not fully immersed in the program. Students who
are coming into graduate school are either experiencing a career change, career advancement,
orseeking personal or professional development. My experience transitioning into graduate
school has inclined me to study the graduate student population because a sense of belonging and
institutional support are crucial to me as a student. As a first -generation graduate student, it was
important for me to feel connected and a sense of belonging to the institution as I understand
many students struggle with feeling as though they do not belong (imposter syndrome). Once
you reach the graduate level of education, there is less representation of students with my
identities. In addition, I also struggled to know what types of resources were available to me as a
graduate student and felt that most services were catered to the undergraduate student population.
These two factors significantly influenced my onboarding experience because they make the
transition into graduate school clearer and easier to navigate, especially for students who identify
as first-generation and low-income.
Background of the Problem
More first-generation and low-income (FGLI) students attend college today than ever
before (Beard et al., 2023). While access to higher education has increased for first generation
and low-income students, those from the highest family income quartile still attain their
bachelor’s degree by age 24 at rates five times greater than those from the lowest family income
quartile [62% vs. 13%] (Cahalan et al., 2021). In the 2020-2021 academic year, the enrollment

6
of graduate students increased and had over 2.1 million students pursuing a graduate degree in
the United States (Cahalan et al., 2021; Condition of Education, 2022). According to the U.S.
News Best Colleges (2023), only 37% of students are first generation coming into college. This
statistic does not encompass the graduate student population but it does provide an estimate of
first generation students within postsecondary education as a whole and can provide insight into
the first generation graduate student numbers. It is important to first define the term
"first-generation," which was coined by the Council for Opportunity in 1980 (The Chronicle).
According to the Council for Opportunity (1980), a first generation college student refers to the
first person in your family to attend college, where your parents did not complete a four year
college or university degree (Center for First-Generation Student Success, 2023). As such, the
first generation graduate student population has become more prevalent in the overall population
of graduate students within the past couple of decades. As such, there are more opportunities and
programs for post baccalaureate options for furthering and advancing knowledge and practical
training.
On November 8, 1965, The Higher Education Act of 1965 was signed by President
Lyndon B. Johnson. The purpose of this act was to “strengthen the educational resources for
colleges and universities to provide financial assistance to students in postsecondary and higher
education” (UOW). In the 1960s and 1970s, the recruitment and retention initiatives began
focusing more on low-income, minority, and first-generation students. With all the efforts,
first-generation students continue to be underrepresented in graduate programs (The Chronicle).
However, within the past couple of decades, universities have given more focused attention to
understanding and addressing the unique needs of first-generation graduate students, including
providing dedicated mentoring, professional development, and community-building programs

7
and resources. While this may be the case, first-generation graduate students today still face
challenges, but with growing institutional awareness and support, their access to and completion
of advanced degrees continues to rise.
As such, the onboarding experience among first generation graduate students is a topic
that is very important to me, especially as I am exiting my current graduate program. In my own
experience and that of my peers, I have noticed disparities in supporting graduate students, which
I was able to examine further through this research project. While there is much research on first
generation college student experiences, I was able to further examine the literature surrounding
first generation graduate student experiences as a way of specifically understanding what
supports their onboarding experience leading to student success outcomes.
Statement of the Problem
Most universities are solely focused on the undergraduate student experience and
oftentimes neglect the graduate and professional student experience. There is also an assumption
that graduate students know how to navigate their higher education journey because they may be
more mature or self-directed as Owen (1999) argues as they have already gone through a
bachelor’s degree experience. While most, if not all, graduate programs may require an incoming
student to have completed a bachelor's degree, the world of graduate and professional education
is very different. Oftentimes students are leaving their home institution to pursue graduate
studies at a completely different campus, which could be out of state. To date, there are currently
over 3,292 of postsecondary institutions in the U.S. and approximately over 1,000 universities
offer some type of graduate studies programs (U.S. Department of State, 2016). This indicates
the sheer amount of variance among the offerings for graduate and professional studies in the

8
U.S. and can provide justification for providing additional support to the onboarding experience
of new graduate students.
Although these students have navigated their undergraduate studies does not mean that
they are experts in navigating graduate school. Both the undergraduate and graduate student
experience are very different and unique in their own ways, which is why it is more important to
establish programs to transition students into their new institution, as not all students pursue
graduate studies at their home institution. After conducting and reading research for this student
demographic, there is limited research collected on graduate student’s experiences and it is
demonstrated by the gaps within the literature for this student group.
In this research, I will highlight the misunderstandings of first-generation graduate
students. I argue that first generation graduate students are enrolling into graduate school at a
higher rate and universities are not meeting their needs at the rate that they are enrolling. They
are also experiencing feelings of isolation, imposter syndrome, and uncertainty in their academic
journeys. Although they are seen as more self-directed, graduate students still need support
systems from the institution, faculty and mentors to navigate their educational journey. This is
why it is relevant to explore these challenges to help identify the areas where intervention and
support is needed to provide tailored academic support.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to understand the first generation graduate students'
onboarding process into graduate school. The onboarding process for graduate students is an
important step to their academic and personal development and sets the foundation for a
successful graduate student experience. There is a misconception that graduate students may not
need an in-depth orientation/onboarding process similar to the undergraduate student population

9
because of the perception that these students are more equipped to navigate the college
experience.
In my interview protocol, I planned to conduct individual interviews with 7 to 10
graduate students who are recent graduates from a counseling master’s program. At the end of
the recruitment, I was able to conduct 10 interviews in total. Through this qualitative case study
approach, I planned to examine their onboarding experiences using Nancy’s Scholssberg’s
Transition theory. In particular, Scholssberg’s transition theory was used to examine the
experiences of first generaton graduate students during their first semester in graduate support,
Additionally, I used Transition theory to analyze the graduate students' transition into graduate
school using the 4S model encompassing self, support, situation, and strategy.
I planned to use Schlossberg’s Transition theory to examine and better understand the
unique experiences of first-generation graduate students. Through this process, I was able to
identify the different challenges the student participants experience in relation to their
onboarding experience into the program. By examining their transition (onboarding) experiences,
I will be able to understand the needs of each student and identify strategies that may best
support them.
Significance of the Study
The goal for this study was to examine the onboarding experiences of first generation
graduate students pursuing a master's in counseling to better understand their transition
experience as it relates to their overall graduate student experience. Because there is very limited
research on how to support master’s graduate students, my goals were to shed light on their
experiences to create and improve existing transitional programs for first generation graduate

10
students. Thus, I utilize Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to shape this research as it will
highlight the participants’ transition moving into graduate school.
This particular research study will include a case study approach and will take place at a
private highly selective four–year university in California and the student participants will have
started their master’s program in counseling during Fall of 2020.
Definition of Terms
The following key terms and definitions are provided to serve as a foundation for the
reader.
Graduate School: a school, usually a division of a university, offering courses leading to degrees
more advanced than the bachelor's degree (Dictonary.com, n.d.).
First-generation college student: “someone who has earned a bachelor’s degree and is pursuing
additional education in a specific field” (U.S. Department of State, 2015).
Graduate Student: “someone who has earned a bachelor’s degree and is pursuing additional
education in a specific field” (U.S. Department of State, 2015).
Onboarding: an enhanced method of familiarizing students with the institution, the processes,
and the requirements they might need to meet, and overall offer a better student experience. This
usually includes orientation and transition programs (NASPA, n.d.).
Transition: “any event, or non-event, that results in. changed relationships, routines,
assumptions, and roles” (Goodman, Schlossberg & Anderson 2006, p. 33).
Orientation: is a collection of events, programs, experiences, and services designed to support
new students as they acclimate to higher education (NASPA, n.d.).
Zoom Fatigue: is the feeling of exhaustion that you experience following a video conference call
(University of Cumberlands, n.d.).

11
Organization of the Study
In Chapter 1, I provided an overview of the importance of supporting first-generation
graduate students and why they may need additional assistance during the onboarding into
graduate school. In Chapter 2, I provided a detailed overview of the literature of who the current
first-generation graduate students are and what their needs are post pandemic. In Chapter 3, I
provided an overview of the methodology being conducted in the study and the approaches used
to analyze the onboarding experiences of first-generation graduate students. In Chapter 4, I
rovided a comprehensive overview of the data findings from the participants. Lastly, in Chapter
5, I provide a discussion around the findings as it relates to existing literature, along with
implications and recommendations for future research, and practice.

12
Chapter 2: Literature Review
The Graduate Student Onboarding Process
Graduate school is an important phase in a student's academic journey and often serves as
a bridge between a student's undergraduate study and professional career to continue their
academic pursuits. In reviewing the literature, much research has focused primarily on the
onboarding process for undergraduate students and not much has centered on graduate students’
onboarding experiences. As such, there is very limited research on how to effectively integrate,
support, and introduce graduate students as they transition into graduate school. In my review, I
have learned that onboarding programs for undergraduate and graduate students are very
different from each other. While this may be the case, the mission of acclimating and supporting
the transition into college or an academic program remains to be similar. Onboarding programs
may include orientation programs and services, which typically include class registration,
meeting faculty and staff, resources and services on the college campus.
In addition to orientation programs, another onboarding program that serves a similar
purpose are summer bridge programs. According to Odeleye and Santiago (2019), Summer
Bridge Programs involve:
an in-depth orientation to college life and resources; academic advising; training in the
necessary skills for college success (including time management, study skills, resources
identification, and social support systems); accelerated academic coursework and
exposure to university resources (for example the library, activity center, and student
health centers); and encouraging family member involvement in students’ academic
support networks' (Odeleye & Santiago, 2019, p. 39).

13
While summer bridge programs may vary from the length (one week boot camps to six
weeks), other programs may also vary in the residential versus non-residential component as
well, where some programs require students to live on-campus in residential housing. Other
summer bridge programs may also require enrollment in one or more academic classes that are
often associated with preparation for the first semester of the student’s transition into college. For
example, UC Irvine’s Summer Bridge Program requires their participants to enroll in a
Universities Studies course in preparation for what you may experience in college,
intersectionality/identity, tips on how to study and prepare for college, and see the different
paths to go in college.
In addition to two courses, program participants also are required to enroll in one
additional course over the six week residential program that counts toward their general
education requirements (UCI, 2023). Additionally, UC Irvine’s Summer Bridge program is a
scholar based program where students who qualify for financial aid utilize federal financial aid
toward their enrollment in the college courses and the other associated fees with their housing
and mels (UCI, 2023). Additionally, research has shown that students who attend summer bridge
programs and/ orientation programs do positively acclimate and navigate successfully into the
college environment (Beard et al., 2023).
According to Odeleye and Santiago (2019), summer bridge programs are able to “help
promote a successful transition, increase academic readiness, persistence and social integration
for first-generation, low-income, and academically underprepared high school graduates'” (p.
41). Again, while summer bridge programs may vary from institution to institution, summer
Bridge programs overall are effective tools to ensure a smooth transition for undergraduate
students. Odeleye and Santiago (2019) also argue “the graduate student population needs this

14
type of support to enhance their overall success and belonging to the campus” (p. 41). The lack
of literature and existence of summer bridge programs for graduate student populations warrants
further review.
Since there is limited research that has been conducted on the graduate student
onboarding process, the data from summer bridge programs, and orientation, has shown
evidence these programs positively affects first-generation, low-income students' overall success
in transitioning to the college setting (Beard et al., 2023). Although most research and data on
graduate students is about 20 years old, literature continues to still be relevant as their is still
limited support for this growing population.
The Graduate Student Experience
Today's profile of graduate students is very different from previous decades (Condition of
Education, 2022, p.1). As such, it is more important now than ever to highlight the experiences
of graduate students in higher education. In the fall of the 2020-2021 school year, there were
approximately “15.9 million students pursuing an undergraduate degree while there were 2.1
million students pursuing a post baccalaureate (graduate) degree in the United States” (Condition
of Education, 2022, p.1). In today’s graduate programs it is more likely that our adult student
population are those who are employed full-time, who commute to and from campus, and who
enroll on a part-time basis (Polson, 2003). This means that most of our students are working
throughout the day from nine to five and have classes in the evenings. Since we are also serving
a diverse population of students this means that more programs offer courses off-campus
locations or through virtual platforms for our graduate students. Additionally, online course
enrollment has increased tremendously during the worldwide pandemic that occurred in March
of 2020 when the entire world needed to quickly transition. Since every college institution went

15
remote this also created more accessibility for our students too, especially our student parents
and caregivers (Arguello, 2019). More programs are creating online versions of their programs
because it is being shown that remote modality is convenient and accessible to students who are
unable to commute to campus.
Over the past decade, there has been an increase of graduate student attendance across the
nation but no increase of support services for our graduate student services. Although we refer to
the graduate and professional student experience, this experience is not similar. Our graduate and
professional students are “an extremely heterogeneous group of people pursuing degrees beyond
the baccalaureate in diverse institutional, geographical, disciplinary, and cultural settings''
(Nesheim et al., 2006). There is a perception that adult undergraduates do not need, or would not
use, many of the same non-academic programs as traditional-age undergraduate students (Miller
& Gleeson, 2007). According to Benshoff et al. (2015), an assumption that people make about
graduate students is that they do not need additional help because they are considered to be
mature, well-focused, goal-oriented, and college graduates. Another assumption is that they are
aware of how to navigate higher education because of their previous experience navigating their
undergraduate studies. This is not completely true because the graduate student experience is
very different from the undergraduate student experience because expectations are different
inside and outside the classroom and navigating a new environment. This is why it is important
to understand the “complex lives and needs of graduate students because they warrant special
attention by college counselors and student affairs staff in colleges and universities” (Benshoff et
al., 2015). Our student services within colleges and universities exist to "provide services and
education that enhance student growth and development" (National Association of Student
Personnel Administrators, 1993). This indicates that there is a “need to consider all students

16
within the university community, not just traditional undergraduates” Miller & Gleeson, 2007).
Now the “student services division needs to make sure that methods of practice match the
university's changing student population” (Miller & Gleeson, 2007). The graduate student
population is increasing every year and they are asking for help and there is nothing being done
to fulfill their needs.
Student affairs and higher education practitioners need to “understand the challenges
many graduate students must confront is one important aspect of meeting their needs” (Benshoff
et al., 2015). Many full-time working graduate students are unable to access essential resources,
such as financial aid, admissions and records, and writing centers after 5 PM. This inaccessibility
poses a significant challenge for these students in terms of availing these crucial resources. It is
essential to ensure that these resources are available during the evening to facilitate the academic
and professional growth of these students.This is why it is important to “assess the needs of
graduate student populations on individual campuses as a next step that should lead to
interventions and services that can improve the academic experience for these students”
(Benshoff et al., 2015). With this evaluation, it should be followed by the implementation of
working interventions and student services. Thus, it is crucial to provide tailored services and
support for the graduate student population to enhance the academic experience and assess the
demands for this group.
According to Nesheim et al., (2006) “assessment has become an essential part of
undergraduate education” (Nesheim et al., 2006, p. 5). Assessments can demonstrate the
effectiveness of student programs and if they fulfill the needs of the students and feedback for
program improvement. There is very limited research on graduate students and the enrollment of
that student population keeps increasing. Assessments are fundamental to our first generation

17
students because they face unique challenges and this would allow universities to provide
targeted support and services to improve their academic performance and experience. The focus
at most universities is primarily towards the undergraduate student population, but in order to
address issues of “accountability, educators need to increasingly rely on assessment efforts to
demonstrate student learning outcomes both in and out of class” (Nesheim et al. 2006, p. 5). As a
result of graduate students being excluded “this calls for educational reform and graduate
education has not been quick to embrace assessment of programs, practices, or outcomes”
(Nesheim et al., 2006). This could also be the result of why there is limited literature on our
graduate student population because there is that assumption that they do not support it like our
undergraduates do. Since there are limited resources available for the graduate students, they
tend to lean on each other or the faculty in their department for support. This can be a lot to
support over hundreds of graduate students if there is not man power.
Challenges For Graduate Students
Graduate Students Roles
Stress is an inevitable phenomenon that affects everyone in their life (Mazumdar et al.,
2012). In graduate school, many of our students are either returning back to school or have
graduated from their undergraduate institutions and can range to be in their early twenties to their
forties. Given these different age groups, we have a diverse pool of graduate students holding
multiple roles in and outside the classroom, such as being parents, caregivers, each with
additional outside responsibilities. Graduate students “may experience role overload as time
constraints that challenge their ability to fulfill academic and nonacademic roles successfully”
(Grady et al., 2014, p. 5). Holding many responsibilities can hinder their ability to fully immerse
themselves into their education. To fully immerse themselves in their graduate program, this

18
means that our graduate students are taking advantage of the resources available such as
workshops, mental health services, and mentorship opportunities. As a typical undergraduate
student, they have more opportunities to get involved like greek life, residence life, clubs, student
government just to name a few. Because our graduate students are a unique population, no one
student is alike. Since the start of the pandemic, according to the National Institute of Health “out
of 195 participants, 138 (71%) of the participants indicated that their stress and anxiety had
increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has demonstrated that college students now are
experiencing stress at an alarming rate. According to Son et al. (2020) “among those who
perceived increased stress and anxiety, only 10 (5%) used mental health counseling services.”
Graduate students are a complex group of students because they hold multiple roles and are
working professionals. For instance, there are graduate students who are full-time professionals
and also balancing graduate school full-time and also balancing their familial obligations too.
Due to this identity, this can also lower the chances of them using mental health resources
because of their hectic lifestyle.
Imposter Syndrome
It is commonly found that first-generation students struggle with imposter syndrome.
Since they are the first of their families to go to college, navigating college can be a very
daunting experience. This term was first coined by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Roe
Clance as the term impostor phenomenon in their landmark study in The Impostor Phenomenon
in High Achievement Women in 1978 (Parker et al., 2023, p. 2). According to Parker et al.
(2023), there are six components to imposter syndrome which include: the treadmill experience,
to be special experience, the superwoman/superman complex, feeling like a failure, denial of
competence, and fear of and guilt about success.

19
The phenomenon of feeling like an impostor can be delineated into six distinct
components. The initial component involves the experience of anxiety and self-doubt in response
to a new challenge (Parker et al., 2023, p. 2). The following component is characterized by an
individual’s aspiration to be the best and the consequent sense of failure when perfection cannot
be attained. The third component is founded on the belief that an individual should be able to
succeed at any task attempted (Parker et al., 2023, p. 2). The fourth component is manifested as
an over-preparation tendency that may be used to counteract feelings of failure. The fifth
component is associated with difficulties in internalizing a sense of talent and competence.
Finally, the sixth component is characterized by the fear of and guilt about success, which may
lead to the denial of one's accomplishments (Parker et al., 2023, p. 2).
According to Bravata et al. (2020), prior research indicates that imposter syndrome can
have significant adverse effects on individuals, including physical ailments, burnout, emotional
strain, lower job performance, reduced job satisfaction higher thoughts of dropping out, and
serious mental health disorders. These findings underscore the importance of addressing
imposter syndrome to support better well-being and productivity among individuals. The
phenomenon of imposter syndrome has been identified as a significant issue in academic and
professional settings, leading to a range of negative outcomes. Bravata et al. (2020) have
reported that imposter syndrome can result in physiological issues, burnout, emotional suffering,
lower job performance, diminished job satisfaction, and serious mental health disorders. This is
of particular concern, as the prevalence of imposter feelings among students has been found to be
notably high. Bednar et al. (2019) have reported that up to 20% of college students experience
imposter syndrome. The consequences of such feelings can be severe, leading to ongoing mental

20
health problems, self-doubt, lack of confidence, and undermining of one's abilities in both
academic and professional contexts.
What is graduate school?
According to Dictionary.com states that graduate school is where a “school, usually a
division of a university, offers courses leading to degrees more advanced than the bachelor's
degree” such as master’s, doctoral, and professional degrees. Grady et al. (2014) states “many of
the challenges to successful navigation of graduate education may thus stem from the structure of
graduate education itself” (p. 6). Graduate education looks very different for every student. For
example, we will have traditional undergraduate students that attend graduate school
immediately after graduation. We also have students who are part-time and have been in the
higher education field for a couple of years but are full-time working professionals coming back
to graduate school. But for this student population, work is a priority rather than school because
they may have additional responsibilities that may not allow them to fully immerse themselves to
be full-time students. There is no typical graduate student and this may be more challenging
because there are multiple needs to be met for this group. Because this group is very complex,
the “graduate students are neither fully students nor fully professionals, but rather betwixt and
between” (Grady et al., 2014, p. 6).
According to Grady et al. (2014), “role strains are a common type of stressor among
graduate students'' (p. 6). Grady et al. (2014) refers to two types of role constraints that affect
graduate students, which are role conflict and role overload. Grady et al. (2014) describes role
conflict as this “occurs, when one has conflicting role demands that are inherently incompatible,
regardless of time constraints'' (Grady et al., 2014, p. 7). An example of this is where our
graduate students’ responsibility is to be a full-time student who needs to study for an exam/ do

21
homework, single- mom where they need to tend to their children, and a daughter who needs to
care for her elderly parents. All of these roles can lead to role conflict because our graduate
students may has obligations to take care of others, which can lead to burnout. According to role
theory, “conflicting expectations have the potential to lead to physical or mental stress, which
can produce negative mental health consequences'' (Grady et al., 2014, p. 7). When you are in a
position where you hold multiple responsibilities you do not get the opportunity to address your
health concerns. Our students are putting off their physical and mental health by taking care of
their bodies such as not exercising, ignoring symptoms, ignoring their mental health because
there is no time to fit into their busy schedule. For example, our first-generation student
population can oftentimes struggle with this because they may hold multiple responsibilities and
they are unable financially afford to take a day off because of their financial circumstances.
Aside from their mental health, their physical health can also take a toll on their bodies and they
may not have the opportunity to focus on a regular exercise routine or provide their bodies with
proper nutrients needed to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.
When a person is overwhelmed with multiple responsibilities, in this case it is our
graduate students, it can lead to role overload. According to Grady et al. (2014), role overload
“refers to role strain resulting from time constraints that prevent one from meeting multiple role
expectations” (p. 7). Many of our graduate students also struggle with asking for help. Some of
the reasons that may prevent them from asking for help include being afraid that they will not get
the support they need. Not receiving support can be detrimental to graduate students, especially
as they do not oftentime spend as much time at the institution as undergraduate students. Not
receiving support may also lead to isolation, potentially impacting their experience and success
in graduate school.

22
Aside from role conflict and overload, this group has to navigate the structure of the
graduate school institution, program requirements, time constraints, mentorship, imposter
syndrome, and funding that can be additional stressors. Oftentimes professors and higher
education professionals advise graduate students to get involved and connect with people and
other professionals within their network, but if they do not have that allotted time to do it, then
they do not get to enjoy and experience that graduate student experience. With that being said, “
institutional structures also contribute to graduate student stress and strain by shaping the
marginal position of the graduate student role” (Grady et al., 2014, p. 7). Due to the graduate
student’s work and life balance this may overwhelm them due to their hectic lifestyle during their
time in school that can lead to burnout. The graduate students are expected to be in class and
gain work experience at the same time to apply what they learn in the classroom to the field. This
can be challenging for some students who are experiencing role conflict and overload that can
also lead to issues with time constraints and time management.
Graduate Students Experiencing Burnout
According to Johnson et al. (2008), burnout is “a common psychological health problem
associated with stress, involving exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation
usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration” (p. 31). As such, it is critical to include
burnout in this literature review as this is a concept that can play out in real life for graduate
students. Graduate students can find it difficult to “find a work/life balance because they find
themselves filling multiple roles, such as spouse, parent, student, teacher, employee, researcher,
and so on” (Poock, 2004, p. 470). Taking on such roles and expectations may be overwhelming
for graduate students and may lead to mental and physical exhaustion. In higher education, the
issue with burnout is that it leads to and contributes to graduate students' attrition. Social support

23
can help reduce stress, thereby alleviating burnout underscoring the importance of social support
in the lives of graduate students (Johnson et al., 2008, p. 31). Combined with these factors, even
small barriers can become significant challenges. Small barriers can look like work-life balance,
academic writing, and time management to name a few. In addition, graduate students “need
flexible space to support their long and varied working hours, as well as space to accommodate
different types of work, such as group or individual work” (Poock, 2004, p. 471). By allowing
students to have a study lounge where it is accessible to students to use after hours this can be a
useful space for those who need a space to work on their homework.
According to Oswalt and Riddock (2007), “most of stress-related studies have focused on
undergraduate students” (p. 22). There have been few graduate and professional student studies
that have shown that they report stress related to role conflict, time constraint, financial pressure,
and lack of family or program support. Similar to graduate students, non-traditional students
report that the challenge of multiple roles often contributes to their stress (Dill & Henley, 1998).
When graduate students try to cope with these pressures, they often experience internal conflict.
Internal conflict
If unresolved, they continually question their decisions and if resolved, the student may
still experience physical and mental fatigue, burn out, depression, and guilt over their chosen
priorities. One study found that only 29% of the professional student population sought mental
health services. An additional 20% were interested in mental health services but did not seek
them because of long waiting lists, scheduling problems, lack of knowledge of the services that
were available, seeking services outside the university, time constraints, stigma or improved
circumstances (Oswalt & Riddock, 2007). Although graduate students are asked to seek out
resources, there are limitations because universities are serving both undergraduate and graduate

24
students. For instance, graduate students are oftentimes required to work as part of their field
work requirements during the day and may potentially have classes in the evenings which can
make this difficult for students to access counseling or student services appointments unless they
are offered virtually. Not only are they navigating a potentially new university as a new graduate
student, but there are also time constraints and outside responsibilities that are unable to visit
regular business hours for student services. This may discourage graduate students from seeking
these resources and cause additional stress because of the long and tedious process. During an
undergraduate onboarding process, they are given multiple days of orientation about student
services on campus for first-year students. Compared that to the graduate student boarding
process, they are not given an in-depth orientation process compared to their undergraduate
counterparts because the belief is that they are able to navigate on their own time. This is a
disadvantage to the graduate student population because students are unaware about the student
services and resources that they are provided that they are able to use as a graduate student and
this can affect their sense of belonging and knowledge of resources during their time in graduate
school.
First-Generation Graduate Students
There are many definitions on what it means to be a first-generation student. In this
research, it is defined as being where neither parents or guardians have completed a college
education or beyond (Pascarella et al., 2004). According to the Center for First Generation
Student Success, “within a year after earning a bachelor’s degree, 23% of first-generation college
graduates enrolled in postsecondary education again” (National Data Fact Sheets, 2023). The
first generation graduate student population is increasing at a rapid rate and this trend is going to
continue to grow. This demographic often comes from a background where they have limited

25
access to resources and support making it difficult to navigate the world of academia. With that
being said, many first generation students experience a sense of isolation or imposter syndrome
as they are navigating a new academic environment trying to balance their academics and other
obligations outside of schoo (Parker et al., 2023, p. 2).
A typical first generation undergraduate student is in between the age group of eighteen
to early twenties. During this time these students are on a road of self discovery and developing
their values and identities. For many first generation students this is their first time away from
home and are surrounded by a new environment and participating in community service projects,
student clubs and organizations that align with their values. In these spaces they may encounter a
diverse pool of perspectives, ideas, and experiences. These are opportunities of growth for the
undergraduate experience as they are engaging with their professors, peers, and their college
community. With these experiences this allows them to develop their own sets of beliefs and
values.
This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the existing literature pertaining to
first-generation college students, their challenges, and graduate students' experiences. Moving
forward, the study will delve into a detailed analysis of the theoretical framework.
Theoretical Framework: Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
This study is framed around Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition theory and how graduate
students are moving into graduate school as their whole selves. According to Nancy Schlossberg
a transition “broadly, is any event or non-event that results in changed relationships, routines,
assumptions, and roles” (Goodmanet al., 2006, p. 33). By using this framework, this considers
the graduate student’s experience and how they encounter different types of transitions whether
is expected or unexpected. The first-generation graduate student population is a unique

26
population because many of these students hold multiple roles and responsibilities outside of the
classroom such as being a parent, caretakers, and full-time professionals compared to
undergraduate students; they are typically in a similar age group and might not necessarily share
those duties. In this specific study we will be studying first-generation graduate students in a
higher education counseling master’s program. By utilizing the transition theory, we will
understand the different types of transitions they encounter and how this framework can help
them with their transition and onboarding process to graduate school.
The Four Ss
The 4S system provides “a way to identify the potential resources someone possesses to
cope with a transition” (Goodman et al., 2006, p. 32). The 4Ss refers to situation, self, support,
and strategies and how an individual approaches and navigates transitions.These transitions can
be major or non major events such as starting a new job, graduate school, losing a promotion
and/ or career change. In this research we will explore the first-generation graduate student
experience and how they engage in graduate school and their connectedness to the program.
Additionally we will be discussing the four stages of transition and the coping strategies that
students will encounter.
Figure 2.1
The 3 Stages
First: Situation- In examining a situation, the following factors are important:
Table 2.1
Trigger What precipitated the transition?
Timing Is the transition considered “on-time” or “off-time” in terms of one’s

27
social clock, and is the transition viewed as happening at a “good” or
“bad” time?
Control What does the individual perceive as being within his or her control
(i.e. the transition itself: one’s reaction to it?
Role change Is a role change involved and, if so, is it viewed as a gain or loss?
Duration Is the transition seen as permanent, temporary, or uncertain?
Previous experience
with a similar
transition
How effectively did one cope, and what are the implications for the
current transition?
Concurrent stress Are multiple sources of stress present?
\Assessment Who or what is seen as responsible for the transition and how is the
individual’s behavior affected by this perception?
As indicated in Figure 2.1, the first S represents, situation, and in this stage it refers to
outside circumstances that hems in transition. The types of transitions can be anticipated,
unanticipated transitions or non-events transitions. In anticipated transitions these transitions are
known as the “gains and losses or major alterations of roles that predictably occur in the course
of the unfolding life cycle” (Patton et al., 2016, p. 34). Some examples of anticipated events
include marriage, the birth of a child, a child leaving home, starting a job, and retiring. In this
case many adults can find the opportunity to rehearse for a role, whether it is mental or physical,
which can ease an anticipated transition. In this case, the graduate students entering their
master’s program is an anticipated transition to attend graduate school. This population needs the
most support during their time in the program and how can faculty, institution and peers can
support in that transition.
In the unanticipated transitions this constitutes for non-scheduled events that are
unpredictable. This typically involves “eruptive circumstances, involving crisis, and other

28
unexpected occurrences that are not the consequence of life-cycle transitions” (Patton et al.,
2016, p.34). Some examples would be being fired, laid off, giving up work due to a medical
illness or being promoted, and leaving a job for a better one, divorce, separation, death of a
spouse or child” natural disasters or worldwide pandemics (Patton et al., 2016, p. 34). In the
non-event transitions are the ones an individual had expected but did not occur, by this altering
the life of the individual. This can be a marriage that never occurred, a job promotion that never
materialized, a child who was never born. According to Goodmanet et al., (2006), “the
realization that the expected transition did not and will never occur alters the way they see
themselves and possibly alter the way they behave too” (p. 24). According to an interview with
Nancy Schlossberg, she explains how the person experiencing the transition is in control of how
they can navigate the transition (Youtube, 2018). Next she continues to explain the coping
mechanisms on how to approach a transition with the 4Ss.
(Patton et al., 2016)
Table 2.2 4Ss Table
Second S: Self
Self Factors considered important in relation to the self are classified into two
categories:
1. Personal and demographic characteristics
2. Psychological resources
Personal and demographic characteritics affect how an individual views
life
● This category includes socioeconomic status, gender, age (emphasizing
psychological, social, and functional age over chronological) and stage of
life, state of health, and ethnicity/culture
Psychological resources or aids to coping, include the following
● Ego development
● Outlook, in particular optimism
● Self-efficacy

29
● Commitment to values
● Spirituality and resilience
Graduate school is a challenging experience for many students, especially first-generation
students. In this experience, graduate programs are more demanding by having rigorous
coursework, higher levels of academic expectations, and personal responsibilities. It is crucial to
holistically view them outside of being a student and see them as their whole selves. This means
we need to evaluate their roles, relationships, socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, culture,
and personal values as this can impact their academic trajectory and navigating graduate school.
These students come with their own unique sets of challenges, strengths and coping strategies.
The self portion of this theory emphasizes on recognizing who the student is and the personal and
demographic characteristics In addition, by viewing our first-generation graduate students
holistically, we are able to better understand the multiple factors that affect transition during the
self portion and how this can affect their self-efficacy levels in the duration of their graduate
programs.
Since many of our graduate students hold multiple roles outside of the classroom, this can
also affect their self-efficacy levels. The term self-efficacy comes from Social Cognitive Theory
created by Albert Bandura (Bandura, 1977). Bandura (1977) refers to self-efficacy as an
individuals’s belief in their ability to successfully complete a task. Because the students are
holding a variety of roles outside of being a student, this can make it difficult to solely focus on
academic coursework, engage in the classwork, and social events. This can be an isolating
process because their priority is to solely focus on taking care of their familial responsibilities
that leads them to potentially not have a positivet graduate student experience. According to
Patton (2016), participating in graduate school activities can help develop “ego development,

30
outlook, in particular optimism, self-efficacy, values, spirituality and resilience” (p. 34).
However, this leads into the next S, which is support where this student population needs
resources and guidance to acclimate to the graduate school environment.
Table 2.3 4Ss Table
Third S: Support
Support In this model, it refers to social support, and the transition theory identifies four
types:
● Intimate relationships
● Family units
● Networks of friends
● Institutions/ Communities
Graduate school is a challenging time for many of our first-generation students. They are
navigating their institutions with little to no support from their families. During this transition to
graduate school, this student population needs familial, peers, faculty and institutional support.
Many of the graduate students find community support within their cohort, faculty, and academic
advisors for emotional and information support.
In my experience as a current graduate student, I have seen that graduate students lean to
mentorship programs led by student groups, such as graduate student government and student
council from a dedicated program to support my peers and I for emotional support. Although
there is support from peers and friends of whom can share a relatable experience, this may not
enough to make graduate students successful in their academics. As previously mentioned, there
is an assumption that graduate students do not need additional assistance when transitioning into
their graduate programs because they have navigated the college experience before as
undergraduate students. This may not be completely accurate as the undergraduate and graduate

31
experiences may be vastly different from each other. As such,here is a much higher emphasis on
serving undergraduate students at most four year institutions, but institutions may lack the
support needed for incoming graduate students. Once students reach the graduate level
education, there is significantly less assistance in their onboarding and transition process.
Table 2.4 4Ss Table
Fourth S: Strategies
Strategies Three categories of coping:
● Those who modify the situation
● Those that control the meaning of the problem
● Those that aid in managing the stress in the aftermath
When graduate students are experiencing transitions, according to an interview with
Nancy Schlossberg “there is a way on students can negotiate a transition” and how they can
approach it either in a positive or negative direction (Youtube, 12:45). I don’t completely agree
because it does not factor race, ethnicity and culture. There are some transitions and although
there is an approach, you don’t always get the desired outcome. Essentially, the belief of the
strategy portion, the student has the authority on how they approach the transition that can
change their situation.
The 4 S system is a framework to understand how to manage the challenges and
opportunities of transitions, including the transition to graduate education. In this study we will
be focusing on the moving in and moving through process when we are examining the
onboarding process for our graduate students. There is very minimal literature on how supported
graduate students should look, especially for students who are pursuing a master’s degree. This is

32
a gap because enrollment of graduate students is rapidly increasing but their needs and demands
are not being met by the rate that they are enrolling.
Critique of Nancy’s Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
Nancy Schlossberg's transition theory has been an influence in the higher education and
counseling sector, there are also some limitations and criticisms about this approach. The first
critique of the transition theory would be its inattentiveness to power and privilege. In this
theory it presumes that our students have the jurisdiction to manage their transitions. This is not
always the case for our graduate students. Especially for our first-generation graduate students
who come from different backgrounds, facing systemic barriers, and discrimination, there can’t
be an assumption that they may have the agency to control their transition. For instance,
graduate students who may come from low socioeconomic status and/or marginalized
populations face more challenges when it comes to navigating unexpected transitions due to
resources and a lack of a support system. This is not always applicable to our students who
identify as black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) because this does not account for their
social and cultural differences that may influence how a person experiences and responds to
transitions. Most transitions are not black and white, they are gray and this model can paint a
model to our students that transitions are linear when that is not the case. According to Anderson
et al. (2011), did a qualitative study and many of the examples given do not account for ethnic
and cultural backgrounds. This theory originated and developed with a middle-class and
predominantly white sample which is not reflective of the BIPOC and first generation
population.
Schlossberg’s transition theory has very limited literature critiquing its theoretical
framework. Most research and literature on this framework has been the application of it and

33
how it has influenced the counseling and career development field. I believe this is due to its
wide acceptance in higher education. There needs to be additional research on the limitations and
strengths of this theory and how it can be applied to our BIPOC and first-generation students.

34
Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology
Introduction
In this research study, the purpose will focus on the onboarding experience for first
generation graduate students entering a two year full-time masters in counseling program. This
study will examine the onboarding and transition experiences for this group of graduate students
to provide recommendations to practitioners, administrators and faculty working with graduate
students; understand how helpful or not the onboarding process is for the incoming graduate
students, and how its impact of the onboarding can influence their graduate student experience
during their duration of the graduate program. The following research question will guide this
thesis:
RQ: What is the impact of the onboarding experience during the transition into graduate school
for first-generation graduate students?
I utilized Nancy Schlossberg’s transition theory throughout the study to understand the
moving in, moving through and moving out process for first-generation graduate students. In this
chapter, I will provide more information related to the sample population, research site, data
collection and data analysis procedures. Finally, the biases and ethical considerations will also be
discussed further.
Research Design
In this research, I used a qualitative research approach or more specifically a case study
approach. According to Creswell (2018) a qualitative research approach is to “explore and
understand the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem” (p. 41). A
qualitative approach is helpful in this study to best capture and uncover the intricate experiences

35
of the first-generation experiences in graduate school and analyze more specifically the student’s
onboarding experiences. Additionally, Creswell (2018) states that a qualitative research design
“provides data through the collection of stories, individual experiences, and discussing the
meaning of those experiences for the individual” (p. 476). By providing these students with a
platform to share their voices and narratives, this research will enable a deeper exploration of
meaning and significance to support the onboarding experience for graduate students.
In this study, I conducted a case study approach which is a “design inquiry where the
researcher develops an in-depth analysis of a case, often a program, event, or activity and the
researchers collect detailed information” (Creswell, 2018, p. 57). The case study approach
examines the perspectives and experiences that are faced by first-generation students in graduate
school within the master’s in counseling program. With this in-depth analysis and accumulation
of information, this research aims to shed light on the unique factors that influence the academic
and social trajectories of graduate students, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of their
needs, successes, and drawbacks. This study seeks to provide valuable insights from graduate
students from the master’s in counseling program that can inform the development of targeted
interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the onboarding experiences and outcomes of
this important student population.
In addition, in this research, I will conduct individual interviews which are “conducted
face to face and allow the researcher to interpret non-verbal cues through observation of body
language, facial expressions and eye contact and enhance the interviewers understanding of what
is being said” (Ryan et al., 2009, p. 310). This will offer a holistic approach to explore the
challenges, triumphs and ambitions of the graduate student population. This approach will aid to
foster a deep connection between the researcher and participants, and additionally trust to yield

36
more authentic data. As I am facilitating the individual interviews, I will use a narrative research
design which is defined as “design inquiry where the researcher studies the lives of individuals
and asks one or more individuals to provide stories about their lives” (Creswell, 2018, p. 50).
Since the participants will be asked to share their personal experiences, this will highlight the
nuances and challenges around the onboarding experience the first-generation graduate student
population face in their time in graduate school. This will allow for the students to “incorporate
autobiographies, life stories, personal stories, as well as biographies” (Creswell, 2018, p. 4). By
sharing the diverse narratives of first generation graduate students this will provide insight of
obstacles they encounter through their onboarding experience as it relates to their overall
educational journeys.
Site
The setting for this research will take place at a highly selective private four-year
research university in California, as referred to in this thesis as Private California University
(PCU) as its alias. I sampled the School of Education, and more specifically from the master’s in
counseling program. Understanding context is important, plan to recruit participants who
entered into the master’s in counseling program in Fall 2021. It is important to note that this
particular fall semester was unique, where it was a time in which the program was returning to
in-person or hybrid modality a year and a half after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the statistics provided by the program, in the Fall of 2021, there were 51 students
who entered the master’s in counseling program. Of those students, 73% of them identified as
being first-generation students. In this study, I interviewed 19% of the students within the cohort
(n=10) and 90% of those students identified as people of color.
In addition, the cohort breakdown by ethnicity s was listed as the following:

37
● 67% of students identified as Latinx
● 22% of students identified as Asian-American
● 7% of students identified as Other
● 4% of students identified as White/non-Hispanic
● Less than 1% of students identified as African American/Black
In this counseling program, Latinx students made up most of the ethnic population. It is
important to note that the demographics of the Fall 2021 cohort in this masters in counseling
program are not reflective of the overall PCU population, nor the School of Education student
population, but are specific to this particular counseling program.
Participant Selection
For this study, the criteria for participation included the following:
● Must identify as a first-generation graduate student, which means they must be
first-generation undergraduate students and graduate students
● Must identify as a U.S. domestic student
● Must be part of the Fall of 2021 cohort in the PCU master’s in counseling
program
Because this study focused on the first generation graduate student experience, those
excluded from the study included international students as this research focused specifically on
the domestic student population. This study’s participation was not limited to gender or
ethnic-identity. While the goals for this project was to interview 7-10 participants, I was able to
secure interviews with 10 participants from the graduate student population within counseling
program.

38
Sampling and Recruitment
Upon Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, I began my recruitment process. The
first plan for the recruitment was to create a flier through Canva to recruit participants (See
Appendix A). I shared the flier with PCU’s master’s in counseling GroupMe group chat to
distribute to the Fall 2021 cohort via text. I recruited 10 students who met the criteria. I selected
the first 10 student participants who met the criteria for this case study.
My back-up plan was to individually text participants with the flier as a reminder. The
recruitment flier included a link to a screening questionnaire, where individuals who were
interested answered questions related to the study’s criteria. Those who met the study’s criteria
were asked to participate in an individual interview with the researcher on Zoom. If the
participant agreed, they were sent an information study sheet, which included their rights as a
participant for the study. A copy of the information study sheet is located in Appendix C.
Interview Protocol
The interview protocol included a semi-structured design and consisted of 30 questions
and taook approximately 60 minutes to complete. The interview consisted of a three part series
of questions using Nancy’s Schlossberg’s transition theory of moving in, through and out. As a
token of appreciation, I provided a gift card of $15 to a vendor of their choice upon completion
of the interview. Using Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, the interview questions were
organized into three stages of transition (moving in, moving through, and moving out) and
utilized the 4Ss (situation, self, support, and strategy). See Appendix D for a copy of the
interview protocol.
Data Collection and Protocols

39
Once the participant was scheduled for an interview, I followed up via email to all
participants about the individual interview process. The shortest interview took approximately 60
minutes with the longest interview lasting 90 minutes. All interviews were held online via Zoom.
In order to protect the participants and maintain confidentiality, I asked the participants to
provide a pseudonym (alias) before the interview and encouraged them to turn off their video.
Additionally, I was able to gain their verbal consent to audio record the interview via Zoom to
help with the transcription process. In addition, I stored all data for this research in a USC
Google account and created a Google Drive that was password protected. Per USC IRB
guidelines, I will also hold on to all files no longer than 3 years post-thesis completion.
Researcher Background
As a graduate student starting in Fall 2021, I have an understanding and first hand
experience of starting a masters program in the pandemic. As described in Chapter 1, my own
onboarding experience into graduate school was not what I had expected. To recap, I was
admitted later than many of my peers, did not attend the new student dinner and my orientation
was not your typical in-person orientation experience. Another benefit is that I have insider’s
knowledge since I am also a product of the counseling master’s program. One way I combat this
is by advising participants at the beginning of the interview to be very specific about their
experiences, encouraging them to elaborate as if they didn't know me, in order to really hone in
on their experiences. Although I have my own opinions about my own experience, I
acknowledge not all participants may share similar sentiments as me. As such, I am open to hear
and learn from their perspectives and experiences in hopes of shedding light on first generation
graduate student onboarding experiences.

40
Data Analysis Procedure
All the interviews were conducted via Zoom, recorded and transcribed verbatim. I then
organized my data and cleaned up my transcripts.. I usedconcept driven coding, which is
described as “also known as priori coding “where it is possible to construct a collection of codes
in a codebook, without, at first, using them to code the data” (Gibbs, 2019, p. 61). I had also
planned to conduct member checks to support triangulation. Member checking is also known as
“respondent validation is a term for soliciting feedback from respondents on the inquirer’s
findings” (Schwandt, 2007, p. 187). Through this approach, researchers areable to make meaning
alongside the participant.. Another concept that I planned on utilizing to develop a guide to
support my data analysis process through data driven coding. Data- driven coding is or as known
as “open coding, and be the observer of themes” (Gibbs, 2019, p. 61). This allows for the data to
speak for itself. I was also able to identify descriptors of support for the students based on the
study’s codes. Based on the theoretical framework of Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, I
was able to develop codes using the 4 Ss, (situation, self, support, and strategy).
Through this process, I interviewed 19% of the students (n=10) of the total population of
the entering class of Fall of 2021. All of the interviews were conducted over Zoom. Once the
interviews were conducted, the participants were sent a $15 gift card to Starbucks, Target or
Amazon, depending on their choice. After analyzing the data, member checks were completed
with only a few participants to obtain clarification on some of their responsesand it was
communicated through text. I will further present the findings from this study in Chapter 4.

41
Chapter 4: Findings
Presentation of the Data
All of the ten participants enrolled in the master's counseling program during the Fall
semester of the academic year 2021. All of the participants enrolled as full-time students, with
the exception of one participant who enrolled as a part-time student and is still a current master's
student, expected to graduate in the Spring semester of 2024. The remaining participants
successfully completed their program requirements and earned their degrees in the Spring
semester of 2023. All ten identified themselves as first-generation college students, indicating
that they were the first in their families to attend college. Additionally, one participant identified
as a generation 1.5 student, which means that they were born in the United States, grew up
speaking a language other than English at home, and have parents who are college-educated but
from another country (De Anza College, n.d.). Additionally, five participants identified as female
and five identified as male. In terms of their undergraduate educational experiences, nine
participants attended a public four-year institution within California, and one attended a public
university out of state. Four of the participants majored in Sociology as an undergrad, while the
others majored in similar majors, such as Psychology, Music, English and other majors. The
ethnic breakdown of the participants is as follows: 60% identified as Latinx/Hispanic (n=6), 10%
identified as Native American (n=1), 10% identified as South Asian (n=1) and 10% identified as
White (n=1) and lastly 10% identified as bicultural (Latino and Filipino) (n=1). In this chapter,
the focus is on the participants' interpretation and understanding of their onboarding experiences
into graduate school. To begin, I present the narratives of each participant from this study.

42
Afterward, I present the study’s findings as it relates to the 4 Ss from Nancy Schlossberg’s
Transition theory.
Graduate Student Narratives
James. James is a first-generation college student, Gates Millennium Scholar, and
identifies as Native American. He also grew up in the Pacific Northwest and attended a public
research university, where he earned his Bachelor's in Music. After graduating, he spent a couple
of years in the Midwest where he worked as a teacher and taught music to high school students.
During his time, he also took a couple of graduate courses at a local college. Since James was a
Gates Millenium Scholar, he wanted to use the opportunity to further his higher education and be
the first in his family and tribe to pursue a graduate degree. He decided to pursue a master’s in
counseling because of the positive impact of his advisors during his time as an undergrad. He
mentioned how “becoming a counselor would be the coolest job a person could have, and to get
a degree in it. And really hone your skills and to be an even better counselor, advise
first-generation students more specifically, in my case, Native American students.” James also
applied to other graduate programs but believed that PCU had a thorough curriculum. When
James found out he got admitted into PCU, he knew he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Joseph. Joseph is a first-generation college student and identifies as a commuter student
as well. He described his ethnic background as Latino and grew up in Orange County, California.
He attended a public teaching university in Southern California, where he earned his Bachelor’s
degree in Spanish and Political Science. During this time in college, he was working with the
TRIO program where he found his passion and saw the value in educating high school students.
He noticed that a lot of students leaned into him and he thought “How cool would it be and do
this for a living.” This is one of the first times he saw himself as a high school counselor. Since

43
he knew he wanted to become a counselor, he believed that the next step to becoming a
counselor was to get his master’s since most of his supervisors and mentors told him he needed
one. Also, he mentioned that most counseling positions required a master’s in counseling and he
needed those credentials to get to his goal. He also applied to other graduate programs such as
Private University because he didn’t believe he would be accepted into PCU. Once he was
accepted into the program he was able to connect with faculty and students and felt genuine
connections that he didn’t get with other programs. Another deciding factor to attend PCU were
the two scholarship opportunities, developed curriculum, and a 2 year program versus a 3 year
program.
Janet. Janet is a first-generation, commuter, Latina student who grew up in the San
Fernando Valley in California. She attended the University of California, where she earned her
3Bachelor's in Sociology and Chicano Studies. After graduating she has been working full time
in higher education and currently, she is at a non-profit organization advising high school
students. Her motivation to pursue a master’s in counseling stemmed from the struggle and
violence in her community and knew that she needed to leave to move up in social mobility. As
time progressed, her motivation shifted to pursuing her master's degree for her community rather
than herself because she saw the disparities and inequities within higher education. When she
was at the University of California, she started out as an Economics major but after taking her
first Chicano Studies class her passion was fueled to work for her community. She mentioned
that she still knew this was the right choice for her. Janet also applied to one other graduate
program at California State University. She explains what drew her to the PCU counseling
program was their well-developed curriculum, diverse faculty, and holistic approach. Since she
was working full time professionally in the field, she took into account her commute time from

44
work to school. She also mentioned she felt that other programs were “cutthroat and competing
for a seat at the table”, and this heightened her imposter syndrome. Her experience with PCU’s
admissions process was the complete opposite and she felt more of a family and nurturing
process which led her to choose this program.
Xavier. Xavier identifies as a first-generation, gay, Latino student who grew up in Santa
Barbara, California. He attended the University of California where he earned his Bachelor's in
Sociology with a concentration in Educational Inequities. His inspiration to pursue a masters in
counseling was because he wanted to move upward in mobility, become an inspiration for his
family, be a representation for the LGBTQIA+ community, and continue to persist as a person of
color in academia. In addition, he had a positive encounter with his academic advisor and that's
where he understood the impact and value of a counselor. These experiences are what fueled his
passion to work in higher education and he wanted to pay it forward to his community because
he wants students to feel like they belong and are valued. Some of Xavier's aspirations are to
work in higher education administration and management in the near future. The components
that were important to him about a graduate program were the diversity, inclusion, and social
justice practices, the alignment with his values, emphasis on basic needs, practicum, and
scholarships. Ultimately, this was the program that fit his values and basic needs the most.
Victoria. Victoria is a first-generation, Latina student who grew up in California. She
attended the University of California, where she earned her Bachelor's in Sociology. Victoria has
always felt supported in the classroom since her mom was a teaching assistant, which led her to
her motivation to pursue a master's in counseling. She knew she didn't envision herself becoming
a teacher but she found herself advising other peers during her time in undergrad and she
believed this felt the most natural to her. Victoria explained she started her graduate search

45
process later and applied during the last round of applications. During this time, imposter
syndrome started to settle in and it took her a couple of weeks to apply because she believed she
couldn't see herself being accepted to such a prestigious school like PCU. She noticed that the
application deadline was extended and she saw this as an opportunity to apply and went for it.
Victoria's deciding factor for attending PCU was how she saw diverse faculty and higher
education professionals during the preview days. When she thought about a school like PCU she
believed because it was a predominantly white institution that the school of education would also
be a representation of that. Ultimately she felt part of the community and committed to PCU
because of the diversity of faculty and nurturing experiences she had through Preview Day.
Crystal. Crystal is a first-generation, commuter, Latina student who grew up in southern
California. She attended the University of California, where she earned her Bachelor’s in English
and Chicano Studies. After graduating, she began working full-time at local California State
University. Her inspiration for attending graduate school stemmed from her interest in creating
financial freedom for her dad. While she was the youngest of four children, she was the only one
of her siblings to pursue a college education. In addition, she was also passionate about working
in higher education. Since Crystal worked in Greek life, she had a couple of mentor advisors who
provided her insight about the different routes she could take and put PCU on her radar about its
Master’s in counseling program and the multiple routes she could take with this degree. She
began to do her research and looked at PCU’s values and mission statement. She knew that this
was a good fit for her because due to her leadership experiences at the University of California,
PCU highlighted they wanted to cultivate leaders in higher education. Also because of her
mentors being former alumni of the program who were able to vouch for the program.

46
Layla. Layla is a first-generation, South Asian student who grew up in San Diego,
California. She attended California State University where she earned her Bachelor's in
Psychology. Her inspiration to pursue a graduate degree is that she saw this as an opportunity to
advance her learning and also needed the credentials and counseling to get to where she needed
to be professionally. She believes that her undergraduate studies were very surface level and
wanted to push her boundaries to challenge herself and widen her knowledge. Layla mentioned
how she was scared to start graduate school due to her sister dropping out of graduate school,
which heightened her anxiety and expectations for a rigorous program. She had also applied to
other graduate programs aside from PCU and noticed that the other programs were more
white-dominated spaces. Layla was attracted to PCU’s counseling program because of its
attention to detail and comfortability she felt while attending the Preview Days. She also stated
how she felt connected to people who were also admitted and did not get that experience from
the other programs she was admitted to. Other deciding factors for Layla were the level of
support, coursework, and financial support from the institution through scholarships, community,
and its remarkable alumni network.
Maya. Maya is a first-generation, commuter, Armenian student who grew up in
California. She attended California State University where she earned her Bachelor in Liberal
Arts and her teaching credentials. Upon completion of her degree, she embarked on a fulfilling
career as an elementary school educator, where she devoted several years to guiding and
inspiring her students. After teaching for a couple of years, she began to reconsider her chosen
profession and decided to make a career change. Maya’s motivation to pursue a degree in
counseling was that she saw herself enjoying the work of advising and found the job to be
interesting and rewarding and saw the value of how impactful this role was. She did her research

47
and found PCU’s program and noticed that it was geared toward working in higher education.
She favored this institution as it was a local school and also would alleviate time for her
commute from work to school. Another deciding factor for her pursuing this program was that
not only was it a prestigious school aligned with her goals and, she noticed that the counseling
alumni were successful, and it would take her where she needed to be to become a higher
education professional as an advisor or counselor.
John. John is a first-generation, commuter Latino student who grew up in Orange
County, California. He attended California State University where he earned his Bachelor’s in
Communication and Sociology. His reasons for pursuing a graduate degree was more due to a
requirement to become a counselor based on qualifications since most jobs required a degree in
counseling. John was eager to go into counseling whether it was either at a community college or
at a university. Some of the deciding factors for attending PCU was due to prestige, because he
didn’t know what aspects were important in graduate school. He believed that this would lead to
more opportunities and the ability to learn once he was in the program from faculty and staff that
were prominent in the field.
Revile. Revile identified as generation 1.5, commuter, community college transfer
student, and Asian and Latino student who grew up in California. He attended a California
Community College and then transferred to a public four-year California State University where
he earned his degree in English. After completing his degree, he worked as a high school
English teacher for a couple of years. His passion for pursuing a degree in counseling was due to
the influence of his parents having a degree from another country and who migrated to the
United States and instilled in him the desire to earn a degree. Additionally, when he was an
English teacher, he found himself helping students who wanted to go to community college and

48
realized that he wanted to do this professionally. According to Revile, one of the major deciding
factors for his choosing to attend PCU counseling program was because his mom was working as
a nurse in the School of Medicine, which allowed him to receive full funding for the first
semester of graduate school. He also indicated the other programs he had applied for were three
years in length, and he felt more comfortable with PCUs two year program.
Table 4.1 Student Participant Background
Student Gender Undergrad Institution Major Ethnicity
James
(he/him)
Male Public University in Oregon Music and Music
Performance
Native
American
Joseph
(he/him/
él)
Male Public California State
University
Political Science and
Spanish
Hispanic/
Latino
Janet
(she/her/el
la)
Female Public University of
California
Sociology and
Chicano Studies
Hispanic/
Latino
Xavier
(he/him)
Male Public University of
California
Sociology
Concentration:
Educational Inequities
Hispanic/
Latino
Victoria
(she/her/el
la)
Female Public University of
California
Sociology Hispanic/
Latino
Crystal
(she/hers/e
lla)
Female Public University of
California
English and
Chicano Studies
Hispanic/
Latino
John
(he/him)
Male Public California State
University
Sociology and
Communication
Hispanic/
Latino
Layla
(she/her)
Female Public California State
University
Psychology South Asian
Maya
(she/her)
Female Public California State
University
Liberal Arts
White

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Revile
(he/him)
Male Public California State
University
English Hispanic/
Latino/
Filipino
Note, Table generated from self-reported information
Table 4.2
Name Enrollment
Status
First Gen? Entered the
Program
Year Graduated
James Full-Time ]Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Joseph Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Janet Part-time Yes Fall 2021 Anticipated in Spring
2024
Xavier Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Victoria Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Crystal Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
John Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Layla Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Maya Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Revile Full-Time Yes Fall 2021 Spring 2023
Note, table generated from self-reported information
Introduction
During the interviews, a number of striking themes emerged that shed light on the various
multifaceted challenges that the participants faced in their academic journey. The participants
discussed several prevalent issues, which I organized in this chapter using the 4 Ss (Support, Self,
Situation, and Strategies) from Schlossberg’s Transition theory. However, to begin I will share

50
more about the impact of the onboarding experience for the participants, along with the impact of
starting graduate school during the pandemic. As a reminder, the research question that guided
this study included:
RQ: What is the impact of the onboarding experience during the transition into graduate school
for first-generation graduate students?
Transitioning into Graduate School During the Pandemic
When the participants began their graduate studies, this was a unique experience because
they all started in the Fall of 2021. During this period, many colleges were transitioning back to
an in-person or hybrid model. For all the participants, they were entering back into school for the
first time, whether it was a career change, coming straight from undergraduate studies or simply
needing the degree to advance into their profession. Whatever their goals were, the pandemic
changed the landscape of higher education in many ways, which impacted the transitional
experiences of these participants. Some of the advantages to a virtual model was the flexibility to
have access to resources and departments in the comfort of their own home. According to the
participants, students were able to meet with advisors, professors, and peers through Zoom
without needing to interact in person. The student participants shared that they had more
responsibilities to participate in activities and were able to take advantage of resources because
of this new modality. Student participants also expressed gratitude for the flexibility in being
able to access resources for a quick drop-in session for 30 minutes in their free time.
Some of the disadvantages for being completely virtual were Zoom fatigue, loss of
motivation, and anxiety. Being constantly online was tough for the participants as they
experienced fatigue given the mix of responsibilities including attending class in the evenings,
working during the day, and having a personal life. Many of the participants spoke on this and

51
they were tired of being Zoom all day and losing focus because they were sitting in one spot with
limited interactions with other people. For example, James shared:
I did not pay much attention. At that time, I was in the band, and that was our band
camp week but I feel also like it was online and anything that had to do online was
always tough of kind of stay very engaged the entire time.
Similarly, Layla shared:
This is hard to kind of think back on, because I don't fully remember what orientation
entailed. And I think that's like the like. Zoom world is just like it's hard to even
remember what happened.
Like James and Lalya, Joseph shared his experiences with starting graduate school during the
pandemic:
Since we were starting school during COVID. So that added, like another layer of fear,
where it was like, should I should I go out and be social, or should I take care of my
well-being? Because what if I get sick? And so it was always hard because it's, if you
don't go to the the events you're kind of missing out on like gaining those connections
which is a huge marketing from PCU. That's why you pay to go to PCU to meet people.
And so it was kind of difficult, because it was like ‘do I stay home?’ Or do I make that
commute and go to Los Angeles, so that I can make those connections?
For the participants, they struggled navigating graduate school with fears of contracting
COVID-19. With navigating a post-pandemic world also came Zoom fatigue and loss of
motivation to come back to in-person learning. A few participants indicated that they had fears
and anxiety navigating the new post-pandemic world after being sheltered for 1.5 years. As

52
Joseph mentioned, part of the reason he decided to attend PCU was to build social connections
with his colleagues, which was a struggle during this time given the landscape of the unknown.
Impact of Onboarding Process
Orientation. The orientation for the participants of the master's counseling program took
place during the summer of 2021. This time period marked a year and a half since the onset of
the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was also the first year that PCU's School of Education
introduced a hybrid model for returning to school. Given that most people were experiencing
Zoom fatigue from school and social interactions, the staff and faculty at PCU decided to
conduct the orientation over a series of a couple of days.
The orientation was designed to provide incoming students with a comprehensive
overview of the program. On the first day of orientation, the Master's Program Office presented
an overview of what to expect in the program, returning to campus policies, and a financial aid
presentation. The second day of orientation was dedicated to meeting the Counseling Faculty,
where students were introduced to their professors, their teaching philosophies, and expectations
in the classroom. On the final day, the Counseling Student Panel provided incoming students
with tips on how to navigate their first year in the program, balance school and work
commitments, manage practicum hours, and provided advice on how to succeed in the program.
Overall, the orientation was a crucial and informative event that helped incoming students
prepare for the challenges and expectations of the master's counseling program (Bañuelos, 2021).
Most of the participants spoke about their onboarding experience and many of them said
that they vaguely remember what happened during this time. They mentioned because it was on
a series of days on Zoom that they have no recollection of the orientation. For example, Victoria
described their onboarding as:

53
I did attend orientation. Honestly, I do not remember it that well. I kind of have like a
faint memory of it, but I did remember them explaining the Counseling program, some
classes I would be taking, this is PCU. We were starting like a hybrid model, and we
were only going to school once a week for that first semester. So I think they were really
just focusing on that. I think the most helpful.Wow this feels like such a long time ago.
Similarly, Crystal shared:
I think I did. I remember more attending my scholarship orientation rather than the
programs because that's where I met Xavier and bonded in being in the counseling
program. I got admitted a little bit later so it didn’t get the full cohort experience of
meeting everyone that happened more on like the first day. I think it was nice to at least
know one familiar face, which was the academic advisor at the time and having to face to
PCU. I don't think it prepared me for anything rather than like them stating like, Oh,
you're gonna take these classes or like you should have gone on your financial package
and stuff like that. Yeah but it wasn't that memorable for me. I just remember the
academic advisor talking over slides and it was virtual.
A couple of students mentioned that they didn’t get the chance to make it to their
orientation due to financial reasons. For example, John shared: “I didn’t attend orientation
because I was working multiple jobs and could not get the days off because I am also a financial
provider for my family.” Similarly Xavier shared:
I didn't attend orientation because I was working full time remotely for a university in San
Diego and finances did lean heavily on me. So I advocated to our then advisor to hopefully
wave or not let it impact my decision, or like my spot in the cohort that I just can't attend,
due to financial restraint and financial stress. The advisor was very generous and

54
compassionate to me, one on one to go over an overview of the community guidelines,
courses I will be taking, and any questions I had.
Based on the interviews conducted, out of the 10 participants in this study, 7 (70%)
attended the orientation sessions throughout the week. However, a significant number of
participants expressed their dissatisfaction and frustration with the virtual weekly sessions as the
sessions did not cover the financing of their graduate education, the location of the building,
COVID-19 protocols instated by the institution. Participants were hoping to receive more
information on financing their graduate education and how to get to the School of Education
since most of their onboarding has taken place on Zoom rather than in-person.
Many participants alleged that the content shared during the orientation program was
surface-level material and did not provide them with the information they needed. They felt that
the orientation program did not address their concerns and queries regarding the program.
Despite the concerns raised by the participants, it is worth noting that thirty percent (30%) of the
participants did not attend the orientation program, due to financial constraints and work
commitments. Due to the orientation being over a series of days, this made it difficult for the
participants working multiple jobs to attend the orientation due to their work schedules.
The Transitional Experience
In this section, I will present the findings from the study using Schlossberg’s Transition
theory. Below you will find the 4 Ss including the sub-themes that emerged from the study:
● Support (family, staff, faculty)
● Self (imposter syndrome, unpreparedness)
● Situation (competitive environment)
● Strategies (GroupMe communication and therapy)

55
The adopted approach has enabled the collection of comprehensive insights into the
experiences of the ten participants enrolled in the master's counseling program during the Fall
semester of the academic year 2021, and provided an assessment of the different factors that
influenced their transition into the program during the post-pandemic period. This study is
significant in understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by students during this period
and in identifying ways to better support them in their academic and personal journeys. The
findings from this study will contribute to the knowledge base in the field and could inform
future practices and policies aimed at improving the experiences of students in graduate school.
Support
According to Nancy Schlossberg, she refers to support from “intimate relationships,
family units, networks of friends, and institutions/communities” (Patton et al., 2016, p. 34). The
graduate students who participated in the master's of counseling program also emphasized the
importance of having a strong support system to aid in their academic and personal development.
The support system for these students included their families, PCU staff and faculty, and their
counseling community via their cohort. In this research study, I will delve deeper into some of
the statements made by the students. In this section, the following emerged counseling
community, faculty and staff, and family.
Counseling Community. In this section, I will highlight the community that participants
referred to often in the interviews. 5 of the 10 participants stated that they relied on the
counseling community for emotional support. The students were able to share their experiences
and challenges and help each other overcome challenges in the counseling program. The cohort
was instrumental in fostering a sense of community and belonging among the students. This
played a pivotal role in their personal and academic growth, as it has provided a platform for

56
them to interact and engage with their peers. When asked about what form of support they
utilized in their onboarding experience, many of the participants indicated they relied on their
counseling community. When asked to clarify what they meant by the counseling community
,Maya shared:
I leaned on classmates for support because we had to do a lot of group work throughout the
program where we all had to collaborate to be successful. Everyone was supportive
throughout the program in terms of working collaboratively and doing their part to come up
with ideas, and help each other complete assignments and achieve success. It was also
challenging navigating through the journey and searching for different opportunities, so it
was nice to be able to go to each other for that support and reassurance whether it was
classmates or faculty members. Moreover, if we needed help for getting certain
assignments done, the faculty was supportive and contributed to our overall understanding
of how to get the work done.
Joseph also shared similar sentiments, where he shared:
I leaned on the cohort for support because I knew that we were all going through similar
challenges and at the same time I felt like they also better understood me since I was able
to share more about my story and my why. I also felt like they knew me as an individual
and there were people that not like friends and family because they wouldn't understand
since they weren’t in grad school. That's why I was able to lean on them and they made
me comfortable to talk to them. Everyone was inviting and I felt that space that I can share
and not feel judged and felt safe and I could count on them for support, motivation and to
hear me out.

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During their graduate program, 50% of the participants reported that they relied on the
support of their cohort. On the other hand, some participants found support from the faculty
members during their academic journey.
Faculty. Among the participants, 6 out of 10 indicated that they leaned on their faculty
for support. Many of the students mentioned how they really connected with many of the faculty
and staff because they saw the representation of people of color and several also identified as
first-generation professionals in the classroom. They also stated how many of the professors
made the effort to connect with the students by providing them with their personal emails and
phone numbers for them to connect outside of the classroom for additional support whether it
was for professional or personal growth. For instance, Layla shared:
I felt like I connected with all of my faculty in some capacity and what made me
comfortable to open up to them was that they created and intentionally made a space for
that connection to be made. By them providing their personal number, text, or emails in
case we needed help with class assignments, job search, or reviewing resumes and the
openness that they all had made me gravitate towards them and that made me confide in
them that I really needed. Also graduate school versus undergrad were very different
because in grad school, faculty were not required to be there and those who taught really
wanted to be there to help us. This is what it made it special at times because this is
something they genuinely wanted to do and they always wanted the best for us to
maximize any support that they can offer to us. This made it easier to build a connection
with them because it was a two-way reciprocal street because there was someone
extending the olive branch and the students, us taking it versus undergrad it didn’t

58
necessarily feel that way because you are in big classes and most of your professors are
just required to teach and the dynamic is different for undergrad.
Similarly, Janet shared:
I was able to lean on the faculty, specifically Dr. B is because from the beginning she
made sure to let me and the cohort know she had a similar background and understood
where we were coming from because we had similar upbringings and backgrounds and to
me and that level of transparency really allowed to me open up to her. I feel like in
academia a lot of times some professors like to feel like there is a hierarchy, but a lot of
the faculty and Dr. B made sure to express and show that there was no level of hierarchy
when it came to the students and faculty there which that in itself made me feel like they
were my equals. In order for me to open up to someone I needed someone to open up too.
That's what allowed me to lean on the faculty one because of their transparency and two
because I felt there was no power dynamic and three since most of them, I was able to
relate to them and by relating I mean people of color, they have similar upbringings and
lived experiences.
The counseling master's program has a significant number of students who identify
themselves as people of color. These students have expressed a strong sense of representation
and recognition from their faculty members based on the way they look, speak, and connect with
them. This sense of representation has been particularly impactful for students from
underrepresented backgrounds, who often feel marginalized and excluded. By feeling validated
and seen, these students have been empowered to pursue their academic goals with renewed
vigor and enthusiasm.

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During the course of the study, it was noted that a number of students sought assistance
from the writing advisor for their academic writing. The majority of the participants were not
well-versed in the APA format, which was the main format for assignments. As a result, they
required additional support and guidance to effectively use the APA style in their writing.
According to Layla and Victoria, the writing advisor was always available to provide the
required support and was approachable, which made them feel more comfortable in seeking his
assistance.
Family. Another form of support that the participants received was from family. 9 of 10
the participants indicated that they leaned on their family as a source of support. Many of them
indicated that although not all of their families understood the importance of why they were
attending, their long day schedules, and late night classes in graduate school, their families
continuously supported them emotionally. For instance, Crystal shared:
I leaned on my family because that was the familial face I saw every day coming home
and If it wasn't for the support I don't think I would have been able to do graduate school
and a lot of it, for the most part, was emotional and most of my transition was
transitioning out of undergrad into becoming an adult, especially my dad and having him
understand what the process was looking like and him just being there helped a lot and
knowing that they are my motivation and that's what kind of got me through it. Also by
them being open and understanding of my time and time constraints and being there to
listen although my dad didn't fully understand what was grad school and why I was doing
it. He just knew that’s what I wanted to do and he would support me all the way through.
Revile shared similar sentiments to family support:

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I leaned on my wife heavily because she had already been through grad school. I did get
financial support for my family. My mother worked at PCU as a nurse, so I was able to
get my first semester free. My mom realized that I was not going to work any like I was
not gonna get paid what I was getting paid right. I wasn't gonna get paid a salary anymore
because I was leaving my profession (teaching). I was gonna get paid hourly, and I was
getting paid like intern money, my family really helped, my immediate family like my
parents and my brother. They really helped me out and allowed me to lean on them. A
little bit financially my wife, in terms of finances, and also just support with going to
school and with support writing because she read everything I wrote in grad school, all
my personal statements that I submitted to applications.
Like Crystal and Revile, James shared how his family support influenced his educational
experiences:
Obviously, I did have a lot of friends and family that were super proud of me, but a lot of
them were away so I couldn't necessarily visit them a lot. I could call them on the phone,
which I did. I started doing a lot more Facetime calls with friends, that I might not have
done beforehand. But it was really nice to have that support, and for them to remind me
that I am in this school, this spot because I deserve it, and every single time I do
something education-wise, I deserve it. They the people that admit me know that I can do
the work that is required of the program. That's why they let me in and then I think that's
a lot of what first-gen students should understand if you got in, of course, you're able to
do the work they see in you.
In this section, the findings highlighted that 90% of the participants leaned on their
family for support. Although most of the participants' parents did not attend college, they were

61
able to lean on them emotionally for words of encouragement or financial support to get them
through their time in graduate school. For one participant, he also leaned on his wife for
emotional and financial support as well.
Self
Schlossberg refers to the second S (self) in Transition theory as “personal and
demographic characteristics affect how an individual views life which includes socioeconomic
status, gender, age and stage of life, state of health, and ethnicity/culture” (Patton et al., 2016, p.
34). In the interviews, two sub-themes and experiences were brought up as it related to Self,
including their experiences with feelings of imposter syndrome and their feelings of
unpreparedness when it came to their academic and in-class experiences. According to the
literature, these two feelings are common among many first-generation college students as they
navigate college for the first time. These similar feelings rang true for many of the
first-generation graduate student participants as well. Given that these students come from
families where their parents did not attend college, they are often left to figure out the academic
and social aspects of college on their own, which can be a daunting task. Imposter syndrome,is
the feeling as though they do not belong or are not as qualified, is a common feeling among
first-generation students (Parker et al., 2023). In this study, findings suggest that the
first-generation graduate students shared similar experiences and felt less prepared for the rigors
of graduate school. Therefore, it is important to provide resources and support systems to help
first-generation graduate students navigate the challenges of graduate school and help them feel
more prepared and confident in their journey in graduate school. Despite these challenges,
first-generation graduate students are pursuing a career in counseling to help others. However, it

62
is ironic that these students, who want to help others, also require support and guidance
themselves.
Imposter Syndrome. Among the first-generation graduate students, 5 out of the 10
expressed that they experienced imposter syndrome during their transition into the Counseling
program. Some participants shared that these feelings came up for them during the admission
process, while others shared that these feelings came up for them in the classroom during their
transition into graduate school. For instance, Janet shared:
Undergrad was a really bad experience for me. I felt like it was very isolating. I just had
a really bad experience there. Once I actually decided to apply to grad school, I knew it
was gonna be a lot of money, and I guess in my head. I already knew I was either gonna
be in debt or I was gonna try to find a way to like pay for it. But it to me the way I saw it
was like. I wanna be a part of a community and I felt like grad school was also gonna
give me that. I remember the counseling program at the local CSU , that program I had
like gone through the interview. And I remembered I attended a couple of like info
sessions, and, like other events and it was just so cutthroat, and it just kind of reminded
me of my undergrad experience and the experience there and to me, this isn't what I want
out of my experience. One and I mean the professors seem really awesome, but I also
wanted to be a part of like a very diverse community, and I felt that PCU had that when it
came to also, the professors. So to me, honestly, it was that it was the to me it was
ultimate reason why I went to PCU because I just saw the difference between other
programs and how they treated their students. PCU was just such a family and like a
community and they were there to uplift you and I knew I had major imposter syndrome
right now, and I didn't know if counseling from at a CSU or like other programs could get

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me out of that. And I felt like PCU could, and they could equip me with like honesty,
self-efficacy, and the resilience to like to get through grad school.
Janet’s experience in the admissions process brought up a lot of feelings from her
undergraduate student experience in regards to the rigor and “cutthroat” competitive feel. She
indicated that she chose PCU because her experience in the admissions process looked different
and she knew her feelings of imposter syndrome would be better off at PCU than another
program. Like Janet, Joseph also experienced feelings of imposter syndrome in his first semester
when he received his first writing assignment. He shared:
So I think that the transition was definitely very hard. A, I think at first I almost dropped
out once I got my first assignment. We're doing the foundations of higher education class,
and the instructor gave us. Basically, the assignment was like right 7 to 10 page essay.
This is not a big deal like I had done that in the past. But then, once they gave us the
example, what another student had done in the past. It really scared me, cause I'm like one,
I don't know how to write like this. The words are just like definitely out of my
vocabulary, and like that, definitely kind of scared me. And I think that's one like the
imposter syndrome started to come up for me and thinking you're not good enough. You
probably won't be able to do that. And it also was APA 6 back then, versus what we're
supposed to do is APA 7. So when I saw the APA 6, I was like, I've never done this. I was
a Spanish major and political science. We didn't write papers like that. So it was definitely
hard. But I remember just calling up like friends people who weren't even in the program,
but just like lean into my community from undergrad and seeing like, Hey, like you know,
we have a paper due. And honestly, I don't think I could do this like I think I might just
drop out of the program and apply to another one. That might be not easier, but more

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cause. I I mean, it's like PCU when you're going into in your head. It's already like is like a
top name school. It's kind of like an Ivy League, and so I was like, I don't know if like
PCU material, and maybe I should kinda like lower my standards and do something that's
more. No, no, I don't know. I think basic is the right word, but more of like, I guess,
average right like where people just write normal. And I think in this case it was. It was
not the best for the instructor to give us a paper that was like extremely well written versus
just giving us like, you know, could you could write a paper and write basic vocabulary
and and still get your point across right? Still, get the assignment done. So I think that was
a difficulty.
Xavier shared similar sentiments:
In Fall 2020, I was socially exhausted because I was jump from so many zooms, because
that's when it was very remote learning environments. But as Spring 2021 came and we
started to have events for the for PCU before the program started and I started to get
excited because it was new environments, new people, new shift of like minded folks. So I
felt that shift coming from undergrad to graduate, and I felt prepared. There were some
moments of imposter syndrome, so if I could go back to the first one mentally. Even
though I had to challenge it with positive affirmations, and socially I was just. I was
excited. I was nervous, but overall I'm excited, and I knew I was privileged to start this at
this position at my age, where I'm currently and where I was currently at that time.
Although they had experienced symptoms of imposter syndrome before starting the program,
they were able to rely on their support system within the counseling community to get through
the program.

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Unpreparedness. Another theme that many of the first-generation students mentioned
about transitioning into the master’s of counseling program was how unprepared they felt
coming in. This theme overlapped with imposter feelings as well. 5 out of the 10 participants
indicated that they felt unprepared transitioning into the program. As a first-generation college
student, many of the participants indicated as they began the graduate school search, they were
not too sure what components were critical for graduate school, being that they were
first-generation and did not have as much guidance. Most of the participants described how they
would learn more about the higher education field, and the types of careers you can go into once
they started the counseling program. For example, John shared more about his experience feeling
unprepared for graduate school expectations centered about internships. He shared:
I did not feel prepared at all because everyone was talking about internships and
where they wanted to work and the populations they wanted to work with. I was like ‘I
don't know anything about this.
John expressed feeling like everyone around him had an idea about the colleges,
universities, and or demographics they wanted to work with. But John came in more wanting to
explore where he wanted to use internships to learn more about different student populations.
However, he was left feeling unprepared when he compared himself to his peers as they all
seemed to have a more clear idea of what populations they wanted to work with. Like John,
Joseph shared more about his inner feelings around that first semester in graduate school:
I didn’t feel too prepared cause like I said, I almost dropped out one like one semester
one like my first semester once we got like that big assignment, so I didn't feel as
prepared as I should have to be honest. I just feel like I knew what I needed to do, and I
got all that done to like get me in the seat. But then I don't think I was prepared, in

66
terms of how to deal with imposter syndrome, or how to deal with like those feelings of
not good enough, or like how to deal with. Not feeling like your work is good enough.
During the interview with Joseph, he also stated that he came into the counseling
program because he wanted to work with high school students. The assumption was that the
counseling program would encompass working with high school students too. It was not until he
began to talk amongst his peers that he realized that was not the case and the program had much
more of an emphasis on higher education versus the high school setting. He stated that:
When I was going through the looking for programs. I unfortunately didn't even know
that, like the PCU program wouldn't prepare me for that (high school counseling). I
didn't find that out like probably second semester when you know, like me and my
colleagues were talking about like “Oh, so if you want to counsel at the high school or
do you want counsel like community college?” And then we realized like kind of like
figured out like, “well, all the all the instructors are at the community college level, so it
kind of seems like we can't do high school counseling” And so that was kind of a
bummer cause I could feel like that was something I went in kind of wanting to do. And
so it goes back to being like our first gen, lacking the knowledge of knowing like. Well,
you actually need a PPS [Pupil Personnel Services] in order to do that right. And I
didn't know that till later, like I started asking. I asked my advisor and they're like, “Oh,
you need a PPS, and if you want a PPS, and you know, you got to apply to the program
here at PCU.” Which is another year, which is like another 40,000 and so for me, that's
why “I'm like alright pause like is already too much money.” I still kind of don't know
if I want to do counseling, you know, cause like, I think a lot of us went into the
program saying, like, I want to counsel. But then, once we're actually in the field like,

67
it's different, right. So I didn't want to invest that money and then I also felt like. I guess
it's kind of like a blessing in disguise, because I feel like wanting to be a high school
counselor got me in the door. But then, once I started working with community college
students and like students who are already in higher education, and made me find like a
new passion of like. I don't have to start. I don't have to be convincing students to be
here like they already made that decision to be here.
For Joseph, he spoke about his experiences in deciding to choose a program that may
have been in misalignment with his original goals, finding out that his goals of pursuing work
with high school students would take an additional year and the additional costs that was
associated with, to his feelings of finding meaning in his work experiences while in graduate
school.
Similar to Joseph’s experiences as a first-generation college student, several other
participants had an idea of what they wanted to do and saw getting the master’s as the next step
to their goal to be a college counselor but felt unprepared for graduate school, mentally,
physically and/or emotionally. Similarly, Victoria also had experiences related to unpreparedness
when she was transitioning into the program. She shared:
I felt completely unprepared. I don't know what the heck was going to be going on. and I
chose this career path in this field very last minute I was like, we're gonna go with the
flow. I tried to look up, what do counselors do? What does it entail to work as a
counselor and things like that. But even with that research I think it's very difficult to be
like I'm prepared I didn’t look at the curriculum, and I looked at the classes.some of the
words, didn’t make complete sense to me. Although I met the professors. I still was not
prepared. I just knew I had the heart and considering the profession and try like removing

68
the imposter syndrome, and being like negative going into part of it, I knew I had the
dedication. If I chose to stay to do it. I knew it was something I wanted, you know, like to
do, and something that I was going to fulfill me. But at the same time I was like the
imposter syndrome, and the fear and the not knowing was just a lot bigger. Then the
dedication and me wanting to actually try it.
The first-generation graduate students shared their experiences of navigating the
challenges of graduate school. Many of the participants expressed their struggle to understand
the requirements for becoming a counselor, including expectations related to academic
performance and internship placements. These challenges are often amplified for first-generation
college students, who lack the guidance to navigate the college experience. Despite these
difficulties, the students persevered and shared valuable insights that can help others in similar
positions to succeed in their academic pursuits.
Situation
According to Nancy Schlossberg, she describes the situation to outside circumstances that
helps in transition (Patton et al., 2016, p. 34). A significant issue that came up was the highly
competitive atmosphere within the program and counseling profession that placed immense
pressure on the students to excel and prove themselves through their multiple internships and
work placements. These identified themes underscored the complex interplay of psychological,
academic, and social factors that impact the transitional experiences of first-generation graduate
students in the counseling program.
Competitive Environment. This theme submerged with the participants was the
competitiveness in the master's of counseling program. While only a few students directly spoke
about the competitiveness of the program, it is worth noting its impact on first-generation

69
students and their academic performance in this type of environment. In this section, I will
highlight the descriptions of the competitiveness of the counseling profession, which blended
into the academic experience of the program for a few of the participants.
Joseph shares how there was a grind culture within the program where their peers were
managing multiple internships, leadership roles, and other physical activities. Although he was
prioritizing his physical health, his mental health was starting to take a toll on him by sacrificing
his sleep and well-being. For instance, Joseph shared:
I probably worked out more than I should have right like. I think there was kind of this
grind that was just going on in the program. Not just me, but like other people as well like
you you're around a lot of people who are highly motivated and want to get a lot done,
which is great. But I think we also were unaware of the reality of what we're doing right
like, we probably shouldn't have been working out at the gym as much. I probably should
not have been working 2 different jobs. And so I think because of that grind, and because
we knew how competitive it was going to be to get into like a counseling position in the
future. I definitely sacrificed a lot of time that I could have been maybe sleeping or just
taking care of my well-being. Right? Cause like every second, was kind of measured to like
the second right like. I knew that from this end, this time I have to be working, and then,
after that, I have to do homework. So I didn't really have a lot of free time to just be a grad
student and so I think that that was a barrier.
Joseph shared that one of the ways he approached the “grind” culture in the program was
working out at the gym .For him, working out helped with the stress he was experiencing.

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Like Joseph, Layla also shared similar experiences of the “grind” culture as she described
feeling the need to take on more internships to help prepare her for life post-graduation. She
shared:
I think managing like the balance between all of these things, like working, going to
classes, having a social life, all those things. And the reason I wish that this was talked
about more is because the cohort before us was in the pandemic. They were working
virtually doing school. Virtually some of them have, like 3 positions. One person I
connected with had 5 positions, and so I felt super pressured to like, have multiple jobs and
work at the same, or have multiple jobs and go to school at the same time. And so I wasn't
prepared for like almost like this kind of like competitive nature slash like you need to be
doing more all the time. I wish there were more emphasis on, Hey, move at your own pace.
You don't need to feel pressured to do the most, and that's something that I spoke a lot to
the incoming cohort to ensure them that they don't need to feel that way about their grad
school experience. It's really about how they want to maximize their time. So I wish there
were more conversations about that piece.
In this section, I highlighted two participant’s experiences centered around
competitiveness in the counseling profession that led to feelings of needing to do more in the
counseling program. It is unclear based on the interviews where the “grind” culture stemmed
from, but did seem to be shared among the peers within the counseling program. The
implications of this competitiveness will be discussed further in Chapter 5.
Strategy
According to Nancy Schlossberg describes strategy as “three categories of coping which
are those who modify the situation, those that control the meaning of the problem, and those that

71
aid in managing the stress in the aftermath” (Patton et al., 2016, p. 34). In this section, there
were only a few methods of strategies that the participants mentioned which was a group chat
app called GroupMe.
GroupMe Communication. One strategy that came up in the interviews with the
participants centered on their shared communication through an app for group chat, called
GroupMe. For many of the participants, the GroupMe was a way to get through graduate school
together as the participants shared through the group chat. In this group chat, they were able to
share internship opportunities, networking and on-campus events, scholarship opportunities and
more. The groupchat had more function as well connected to serving as a way to bond and
connect with other people within the program, where they often sent weekly motivational
messages or resources to help one another through their time in graduate school.
For example, Maya shared:
It was nice to like, you know that we had a group chat. So we would kind of keep each
other up to date with things that were going on that were important to help us, you know,
be successful, to be on track. So it was nice to have that chance to connect with them
before starting the program. I thought that was really helpful.
Janet shared too:
One of the things that really helped me was the GroupMe. So the onboarding process I feel
like was kind of confusing, but once I got added to the GroupMe, it was very helpful.
Everyone was updating with registration, meeting with the advisor, and other things that
came up. So they made the onboarding process so smooth for me after that, once I got
added to the GroupMe and I would go to that group chat and they could answer my
questions.

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Although there were only a few people that mentioned this as a form to get through the
program, their use of the Groupme was instrumental in their transitional experience into graduate
school as a way of staying connected to their cohort, and receiving critical information shared
among the group as it related to their professional development.
Therapy. Another strategy that the participants described as a way of coping through
graduate school was therapy. Although therapy was only described by a few participants, this is
worth noting here given its impact on these participants. Xavier and Layla both shared how they
started therapy prior to coming into graduate school and learned different ways of coping that
helped them during graduate school. For example, Xavier shared:
I will start off with building positive affirmations. I think I learned that through therapy
work in my undergraduate institution really, what with the saying of what will come, will
come my way, and we'll come with protection will come with abundance, so definitely
building positive affirmations while also validating that I am navigating something new.
Them was foreign to me at such a young age. Although once I got my acceptance letter, I
was reassured that I needed to tell myself and reassure myself. I belonged in these spaces, so
mentally building positive affirmations and being proud of myself.
For Xavier, he described his inner work of battling imposter syndrome-like feelings with
positive affirmations, which is a tool or strategy he learned through his therapy journey as an
undergraduate student but proved to be helpful while a graduate student. Similar to Xavier, Layla
mentioned:
I had started therapy about 6 months before I had gone into graduate school because I had
never done therapy before, and I was already really struggling with my mental health and
going into the pandemic made it a lot worse because I felt very isolated. I felt like a lot of

73
the experiences that I had were kind of coming up for me and also, as I mentioned, my
sister had dropped out of graduate school, due to mental health issues. So I was very
motivated to make sure that I was mentally in a good space to want to pursue grad school
and to make all these big changes cause it wasn't just about starting school.
Layla described her going into therapy to be a strategy to be proactive in addressing
feelings that she also felt coming up for her prior to graduate school. She continued her therapy
as a way to combat possible feelings that may come up for her as she added one more thing to
her life. Since the program began in the Fall of 2021, many of the participants have experienced
going through undergrad during the pandemic. It is important to note that because during this
time mental health awareness was reaching its peak and started to become more normalized.
Advice from the Participants
A critical component of the research interview protocol included asking the participants
to share some advice they would give themselves before entering the program. In this section, I
will highlight those pieces of advice.
Table 4. 3
Participant Advice
James “I think willingness to just slow down. Take in the information and just to
learn there's always this, this feeling that you gotta do more and more. And
just take in like, just understand that you're you're you're learning. And it's
okay to not understand something. It's okay to ask the question. It's okay to
like, pick the brains of the professors cause they're the professionals. they're
they're the experts and the classes that they teach and the the work that they
do. So it's okay to just not know something. And I feel like I wanted to be.”
Joseph “A piece of advice I would give myself would be to definitely seek out as
many opportunities as I can learn about the programs, scholarships, and
deadlines before even accepting going into PCU, because I think that it
would definitely give me, some peace of mind, at least on the financial side,
and then also not to not be afraid to ask questions specifically to like faculty

74
and to express my my needs and my concerns to the program cause we were
we were paying for it. I think we deserve to get what we want from the
program and also to not be afraid to ask for help. I know being first gen it
could have been a bit intimidating, asking for help, feeling like I had to figure
it out on my own. But it's okay to ask for help, and maybe other people also
are facing similar challenges, if I don't speak up, then I just had to kind of
suffer on my own versus working together as a community to make sure we
all succeed.”
Janet “Why are you doing this? Answer that question? Ask myself that question.
Why am I doing this and and be honest about my my response. because I feel
like a big part also, like PCU and like choosing this school was because of
the name too, so if I would have been a little bit more honest with myself.
Maybe I would have thought about holding off another year and seeing
where my professional career went And then going from there.”
Crystal “I think to take it a little bit easier, like I think it's not that serious like, but it
is I think, going through the graduate program. I think I didn't have to stress
out as much as I did at some point especially after seeing that you don't really
fail in graduate school. Like you get pointers. But a lot of the times like I
graduated with, and I'm sure most of my peers did, too, like I didn't really
have to like ruin myself half the time.”
Xavier “It's okay no and I think that's super important to normalize and bring
awareness it's okay to say no. Normalize a positive mental health and be
intentional with your practicum opportunities. Ask yourself “Do you wanna
work at a 4 year? Do you wanna work at a community college? or
particularly working with a student equity or student affinity program? Or do
you see yourself at a public or private 4 year” My biggest advice is to be
intentional with your practicum.”
Victoria “Don't be scared and put up a wall and be in allowing yourself to succeed,
because there's this great opportunity. But you're the only one who can take
opportunities away from yourself.”
Maya “If I were to go back these were like things I would say to me or to any
student that's starting the program is just to like be open and be open to you
know, making as many friends, making as many connections as you can Put
in that time to really, even though it's hard, like having multiple positions.
But making that time to really like take advantage of you know the subject
matter that's being taught even if it's like try like simple as trying your best to
like. Do the readings. You know, no matter how much of a time crunch! We
were all in balancing like grad school and multiple positions. But it's just I
think especially when it's something you're passionate about. I think it's
really important to like, take advantage of of everything when you're in the

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program experiencing it because it really goes by so fast. Just try your best
and don't also don't overwhelm yourself, too.”
Layla “Do not compare yourself to your peers. Your goals are going to be different
from theirs, and your level. Ambition is going to be different from theirs. So
to expect that 2 people are going to do the exact same thing, or should strive
to do the same thing is ridiculous to me. I didn't feel like anyone talked about
that the beginning of my program. And so that's something I really
emphasized to the second years that were you know, first years at the time,
and to incoming students is like, move at your own pace. You know yourself
best. You know what your goals are. What are you gonna do to get there?
Don't look at what the person to your left or right is doing. But what do you
want out of this experience. What types of experiences are you seeking out?
Specifically? So. yeah, that's that's what alright best.”
John “It’s okay to not rush into things. You have enough time. There is no need to
get in and get out. You can space it out and take your time.”
Revile “Don't stress about the work. Don't stress about the work.”
This section presents the compiled advice of 10 participants, aimed at both their past
selves and incoming graduate students who identify as first-generation. The advice provided is
intended to offer useful insights and recommendations for navigating the graduate school
experience. The recommendations are presented in a clear and concise manner, with a focus on
providing actionable guidance to fellow students. The advice covers a range of topics related to
the graduate student experience, including academic, social, and professional considerations. The
insights shared in this section are aimed at providing a framework for success for first-generation
graduate students from the students themselves.
Conclusion
Graduate school can be a challenge for anyone, but for first-generation graduate students,
there are additional unique challenges that they face. Out of the ten participants, only one
participant described having a sibling that went through graduate school, while all the others
relied on themselves and different forms of support throughout graduate school. Not having

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much support to rely on made it difficult to navigate the academic system. This lack of
knowledge and experience can lead to feelings of isolation and inadequacy. As each graduate
student is different, there are different ways in which they juggle their various roles and
responsibilities. This can include managing coursework, research, teaching assistantships or
internships, and part-time jobs. All these responsibilities can make it difficult to maintain a
work-life balance, leading to stress and burnout.
As someone who has gone through the graduate counseling program, I understand the
unique challenges that first-generation graduate students face. To shed light on these challenges,
I wanted to highlight the voices of these students and capture their experiences. The purpose of
this thesis was to gain a better understanding of the challenges that first-generation graduate
students face and to identify the types of support they need while in graduate school and
especially during their transition into graduate school. Through the use of their testimonies, I
discovered that these students relied heavily on their faculty, counseling community, families,
and peers as a means of support through this rigorous process.In addition, to that I will be
discussing their coping mechanisms with what it entails to be a first-generation graduate student.
In the following chapter, I will provide a discussion in regards to the themes that emerged
through this research study and the implications and recommendations to help improve the
transitional experiences for first-generation graduate students.

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Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations
This chapter will major findings as they relate to the research question. This chapter will
also include the study’s limitations and delimitations, as well as implications for research and
practice. As a reminder, this study aimed to examine the following research question:
RQ: What is the impact of the onboarding experience during the transition into graduate school
for first-generation graduate students?
Discussion
Transitioning into Graduate School During the Pandemic
A major discussion point among the participants in this study centered on their
experiences starting graduate school while coming back from the pandemic. Like other
universities and postsecondary institutions, the context in the Fall of 2021 was new and
uncharted territory for many programs. As such, the participants shared that they struggled with
being online for classes, but also struggled with the parameters of being hybrid and back to
in-person learning under strict COVID protocols (Son et al., 2020). Joseph, Layla, and James
shared how it was difficult to stay engaged during their orientation due to Zoom fatigue.
Navigating a post-pandemic world for the first time was very challenging because there
was the fear of contracting the virus in the classroom or at a school event. Joseph shared how
there was another layer of fear of being social or staying at home for his well-being. He
continued to share that coming to a school like PCU is known for its remarkable alumni and
going to events to connect with them, which added to his conflicting feelings. Some of the

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participants faced difficulties while adapting to this new world and found it challenging to
navigate, which will be further discussed in this chapter.
First-Generation Graduate Students Struggle with Imposter Syndrome and
Unpreparedness
According to Parker et al. (2023), imposter phenomenon includes six components an
individual can experience. In this study, I will highlight two of them which are the treadmill
experience and to be a special experience. The treadmill experience is the feeling where “the
person is faced with a new challenge or requirement and they experience anxiety, self-doubt, and
dread” (p. 2). The study participants' comments regarding the significance of finding a graduate
program that provided a supportive environment rather than one that was cutthroat are
noteworthy. Research has established a connection between competitive environments and
imposter syndrome, while supportive environments can contribute to a greater sense of
belonging (Bravata et al., 2020; Parker et al., 2023, p. 2). In some instances, competitive
environments can steer away some students because it can intimidate them and feeling that they
are not qualified or enough to participate in those opportunities.
In addition to feelings of support being critical, the participants also shared their
experiences with submitting their first written assignments. Joseph expressed feeling unequipped
or capable of submitting high-quality work and contemplated dropping out of the program.
Another component is the to-be special experience which occurs when “one has the desire to be
the very best at something and feels like a failure when perfection cannot be maintained when
charged with” (Parker et al., 2023, p 2). These results are in line with Bravata et al.’s (2020)
work, which indicated that imposter syndrome can have significant adverse effects, including the
higher likelihood of dropping out of educational programs. These results highlight the

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importance of addressing imposter syndrome even for first generation graduate students. As
such, it is important to prioritize strategies and resources to mitigate these effects and support
students in their academic pursuits.
Support Systems for First-Generation Students
In the findings, the participants shared multiple forms of support that assisted in their
transition into graduate school including family, faculty, and the counseling community.
Although many of their family members had not gone through college, let alone graduate school,
they identified their family members, including the counseling community, and friends as
integral forms of emotional support. One of the participants had a unique experience that was
unlike any of the liteature read. Revile indicated that he was able to benefit from his parent’s
financial support given their on-campus employment. He also mentioned how critical it was for
him to be able to lean on his parents and spouse for not only their financial support but also their
emotional support. As a career changer, he tooka pay cut, and lost his benefits to pursue graduate
school. In addition, Revile was the outlier in this study as he was a participant who identified as
Generation 1.5.
In addition to family, all ten of the participants indicated that they received familial
support. Their support looked differently from participant to participant, but included sharing
expectations and priorities, and alternating what helping at home looked like. For some
participants, this also included taking a step back from helping around the house with siblings,
doing household chores, and communicating their needs as those shifted throughout their
transition. By communicating and/ or setting boundaries with their families, the participants were
able to shift their priorities and obtain more support from their families.

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Half of the participants also identified an additional source of support which they referred
to as the counseling community. The participants viewed the counseling community as a sincere
and trustworthy group, with whom they felt a connection that went beyond that of a peer. Rather,
they viewed members of the community as friends who were invested in their personal growth
and well-being without any expectation of reciprocation. Additionally, the counseling
community provided support to one another by sharing resources, networking opportunities, and
professional growth prospects, including internships. For example, Maya expressed that she
connected with her peers in the counseling community at the beginning of the school year and
felt comfortable enough to reach out to them for any support whether it was academic or
personal growth.
Competitive Environment within the Profession
Many of the participants mentioned that there was a competitive nature within the field.
There were concerns over who had the most experience and connections within the community
college. This messaging was stressed by professors who worked within the field and shared that
the nature of becoming a counselor is a very competitive process. The participants shared what
they understood was that it is not common to obtain full-time work through tenure track
positions right away; instead, they are expected to gain experience as adjunct or part-time
counselor role to be eligible to apply for full-time later. The participants also shared that the
part-time adjunct counselor process was also very competitive, which often leads to students
within the program to hold multiple internships at various community colleges to establish
connections and increase their chances of securing a part-time adjunct position. Furthermore, the
California Community College system is known for being highly competitive, and it is the most
lucrative institution in California, making it a highly coveted option for many people. As a result,

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many graduate students in the program had multiple internships throughout their time in graduate
school to maximize their opportunities and network with as many people as possible. This
competitive process was evident through the participants sharing about their experiences and
messaging received.
In the highly competitive field, students were compelled to devote all their time and
energy to keep up. As a result, many of them had to compromise on their physical health and
well-being. They were often forced to stay up late to attend classes, participate in networking
events, and complete homework instead of getting enough sleep or engaging in physical
activities related to their well-being. Although some students managed to keep up with all the
program's demands without compromising their health, it was a real challenge for most
participants. The constant pressure of performing well and staying ahead eventually led to
burnout for some participants, affecting their mental and physical health. For instance, Layla
brought up when she connected with current students during her onboarding to graduate school
and alluded that she should hold multiple internships to immerse herself in the community
college. To add to that, she had geographically moved from San Diego to Los Angeles, which
was an added stressor and adjustment. Once she moved to Los Angeles, she needed to learn to
manage her time to provide for herself, commute to her internships and work about 30 hours,
manage academics and attend classes, two to three times a week from four until ten in the
evening, including having a social life and staying engaged in physical activities, such as the
gym. Layla wasn’t the only the student in this situation, but there are many expectations that can
lead to “physical or mental stress, which can produce negative mental health consequences''
(Grady et al., 2014, p. 7). Layla emphasizes that there should be more conversation going at your

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own pace. Layla among others also shared similar sentiments about the hustle culture in this field
(Hernandez et al., 2019).
Coping Strategies used in Graduate School
A strategy that was mentioned by a few students is a topic that is still worth
mentioning as mental health is a rising topic since the pandemic of COVID-19 heightened this
issue. As the participants were transitioning into a hybrid model of graduate school, two of the
participantsindicated they used therapy as a coping mechanism to get through graduate school to
combat feelings of imposter syndrome, isolation and overall mental health. Although the
literature about first-generation students’ mental health is sparse, theresults of the present study
affirm prior research. Prior to the pandemic, there was evidencethat first-generation students had
higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress comparedto continuing-generation students
(Jenkins et al., 2013; Stebleton et al., 2014). Although those studies did not include direct
measures MDD or GAD symptoms, Noel et al. (2021) measured GAD symptoms and found that
first-generation students had significantly higher rates of GAD than continuing-generation
students before the pandemic. During the pandemic, researchers have discovered that
first-generation students have higher rates of anxiety than continuing-generation students
(Grineski et al., 2021; Jeong et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2021). Furthermore, first-generation students
also experienced greater rates of stress and anxiety due to changes in their personal finances or
their family’s finances, concerns about family members working in positions that increased
exposure to COVID-19, distractions at home, and fewer resources to support their success (Davis
et al., 2021; Kiebler & Stewart, 2021). Besides therapy, some participants indicated that they
used physical activities such as the gym, dance teams, pilates, and running as some methods to

83
cope with the stressors of graduate school as a form of therapy for them. Although the
participants mentioned that therapy was not a requirement as part of the program, they did
mention that they were highly encouraged by several faculty to take care of their well-being.
These types of self-care provided relief to the participants as a method to de-stress from their
other responsibilities and some others talk it out. It is imporant to note that only two participants
shared that they went to talk therapy as these results are in alignment with the literature that
suggests fewer individuals seek mental health support, even in times when they could benefit
from such support (Son et al. 2020).
Limitations
This study presents new contributions to the limited literature on the impact of the
onboarding process for first-generation graduate students. While most literature was written in
the early 1990s and 2000s, the findings are still pertinent to today's needs of graduate students.
The research took place in a small private university, focused on a counseling program, where
most participants identified as people of color. However, the findings may not be generalizable to
other universities or colleges due to the small sample size of ten participants.
Another notable limitation of this study was the lack of representation of participants
from the African American/Black community. Despite efforts to recruit a diverse sample, the
number of African American/Black participants in the cohort itself was limited, which may have
affected the comprehensiveness and generalizability of the findings. The absence of adequate
representation from the African American/Black community restricts the scope of this study and
may limit the applicability of the results to this demographic. Although this study did not capture
these voices, this leads to more gaps in understanding first-generation African-American/Black

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graduate student experiences, especially among a program with limited numbers of students in
the cohort.
One limitation of the study is its focus on only one program, the counseling master's
program. Future researchers could consider studying multiple counseling master's programs and
interviewing graduate students to determine if they share similar experiences entering graduate
school across institutions. Additionally, researchers could explore the experiences of graduate
students in different cohorts, including those who attended in-person orientation, to compare and
contrast their experiences.
It is also important to note that the study's participants struggled with Zoom fatigue,
which may have impacted their ability to recall the onboarding process. To overcome this
limitation, researchers could ask more specific questions about the onboarding process, such as
attending information sessions, previews day/admitted students day, and orientation. Future
research can also collect data closer to the first part of this transition, perhaps after the first
semester of graduate school. They could also explore specific challenges, such as imposter
syndrome, isolation, and unpreparedness, that may arise from the first-generation graduate
student experience.
While the study focused on domestic first-generation master's students, international
students were not included in this study. Future research could explore the experiences of
international students in graduate school connected to their onboarding experience as these
experiences can certainly differ from domestic students. Additionally, gathering perspectives
from parents and other family members could provide further insight into the support this
population needs as they go through the different transitions within graduate school.

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In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the onboarding experiences of
first-generation graduate students in a counseling program. It is important to consider the
limitations and delimitations of the study when interpreting the findings and applying them to
other programs or universities. Further research can help to expand our understanding of the
experiences of this population and identify ways to better support them.
Recommendations for Future Research
If future research is to be conducted on the impact of onboarding experience on
first-generation graduate students, it is recommended that international students be included as
well. Additionally, graduate students from multiple campuses and various types of institutions
pursuing a master's degree in counseling should be considered, with a focus on comparing the
differences and similarities of their experiences. In particular, a longitudinal study is suggested to
follow students throughout their program, from moving in, moving through, and moving out.
Furthermore, it is beneficial to follow up with the participants three to five years after
graduation, to understand the impacts of their transitions as it connects to their overall
programmatic experiences.
Additionally, it is crucial to recognize that the perspectives and experiences of the
African-American/Black community are essential for more of a comprehensive understanding of
the impact of the onboarding experience. The absence of this student population being
represented in this study raises important questions about equity and inclusivity in research
practices. As such, I recommend for future studies to be aimed at exploring the onboarding
experiences among the African-American/Black student community.
It is also recommended that researchers can follow up with participants who entered into
the program in Fall 2022 and how being fully back in-person differs from the resutls of this

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study. The findings show that a competitive environment was present, and it would be interesting
to explore what aspects of the program contributed to this sentiment. Burnout was also briefly
mentioned in the study, and it would be appropriate to delve into this topic further, as well, by
exploring the experiences of students during their graduate studies. It is also recommended that
another area to investigate further is the impact of a summer bridge program for first generation
graduate students. Overall, a comprehensive study that incorporates the suggested measures will
provide valuable insights into the impact of onboarding experience on first-generation graduate
students, international students, and graduate students from various types of institutions pursuing
a master's degree in counseling.
Recommendations for Practice
In the course of my research, I conducted ten one-on-one interviews with participants,
obtaining valuable data that both supported my recommendations and provided direct feedback
from participants. Drawing on this data, I have developed a series of recommendations that are
structured around the various stages of the onboarding processes for the first semester of
graduate school. These recommendations are intended to facilitate a smooth transition for
students entering graduate school, with a particular focus on the onboarding experience for first
generation graduate students. By incorporating feedback from participants, I have endeavored to
ensuring that these recommendations are practical, effective, and responsive to the needs of these
students.
I believe that these recommendations will be an asset to any institution, school or
department seeking to improve the graduate school experience for its students, especially
first-generation graduate students. By streamlining the onboarding processes, institutions can
promote more efficient and effective operations, ensure a positive experience for students, and

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ultimately contribute to the success of their academic experience. The proposed
recommendations are divided as follows: summer bridge program, orientation and the first
semester of graduate school.
In Table 5.1, I have outlined the seasonal progression of onboarding, ranging from
summer bridge, orientation and first semester of graduate school. I will delve further into the
onboarding recommendations in the subsequent section.
Table 5.1
Season Recommendations
Summer Bridge Program ● 4-Week Summer Class (embedded into the curriculum)
○ Academic Preparation for Graduate School
■ Time Manangement 101
■ Effective reading and study strategies
■ APA Workshop
■ Utilizing Library Resources 101
■ Writing Workshop
● Reflective Writing Assignments
(1) What is your why?
■ Identifying your Values and Goals
○ Profesional Development Preparation
■ Internship Search
● Cover Letter and Resume
■ How to search for Mentors in your internship
■ How to get the most out of your internship experience?
■ Conference Participation 101
○ Social/Emotional Preparation for Graduate School
■ Possible Sessions
● Importance of Connecting and Relationship
Building
● Imposter Syndrome and Belonging
● Hidden Curriculum/ Demystifying Graduate
School
● Representative visits or resource fair from
cultural and identity resource centers on campus
○ Financing your Graduate Education
Orientation 2 Day Orientation
● Day 1- Introductory and Get to know the Program/Campus

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○ Current Student Panel
○ Faculty Meet and Greet
○ Alumni Panel (1, 3 and 5 years out)
○ Resource Center Fair
■ Graduate Student Organizations
■ Cultural and Identity Center Representatives
○ Financial Aid and Scholarships
○ Career Center
○ Student Health Center (i.e. Counseling support)
● 1st Generation Graduate Student Additional Support
○ 1st gen Mentoring Program
○ 1st gen Resource Center
● Day 2 - Student Led Orientation- Cohort/Community Bonding
○ Consideration:
■ Campus Tour
● Scavenger Hunt Style with groups with their
peers
■ Group Counseling Sessions led by Student Leaders
■ Purpose
● Build community nurturing a sense of support
and togetherness
● Reflect on our why/purpose Nurture and instill
hope in their journeys
■ Possible Topics:
● Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
● Finding Community as a Graduate Student
○ Networking opportunities
First Semester of
Graduate School
Best practices for better supporting first-generation graduate students
may include:
● Mandatory advisement with program advisor
○ Purpose and objectives for these meetings
■ Build rapport with new students
■ Help the students identify at least one campus contact
for support if needed
■ Provide safe spacet for students to share their fears or
worries as they come up
○ Possible Questions
■ What support do you need during your transition into
graduate school?
■ What does your sources of support look like outside of
the program?
● Possible Offerings in the first semester
○ Offer a food pantry inside the program office available to any

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students in need (include snacks, but also gift cards to local
grocery stores)
● Professional Development Workshops
○ Find a mentor
○ Resume and Cover Letter Support 101
○ Managing Stress as a new graduate student
○ Finding internships and part-time positions during grad school
○ Finding support from Centers on Campus
○ Alumni Mentorship Program
○ Community Care Circles
■ Purpose: Build a community on trust and safe space,
support new students in their first semester of grad
school, support student leaders to facilitate spaces
Local Dining Resource
Guide
● Create a Local Dining Resource Guide
○ Provide information about the various dining establishments in
the surrounding areas, allowing students to easily locate and
access food options that are convenient for them
Summer Bridge Program
In this section, I utilize the University of San Diego as an exemplary model for the
recommendation of offering a summer bridge program for better supporting the onboarding of
first-generation graduate students. UCSD offers a graduate onboarding program titled the
Graduate Student Success Program. This onboarding program allows for students to unpack the
hidden curriculum of graduate school, connect with other graduate students and to be empowered
into a new identity as a graduate student. They offer workshops and presentations that are all
virtually accessible to the students covering topics such as: Financial Health, Creating
Community and Building Belonging, Imposter Syndrome, and Face to Face with Faculty
(University of San Diego, 2024). In addition, they also created a Guide to Graduate Student
Services, which includes the following:
● Graduate Student and Law Student Handbook, Student Life, Financial Aid, Academic
Resources, Wellness, Auxiliary Resources, Identities, Spiritual and Faith, Housing,

90
Career Services, Student Organizations and Advocacy, Off-campus housing, Discovering
San Diego, Family Services, Health and wellness, Safety and Transportation, Sports and
Fitness, Academic Support,
● Financial Assistance and Professional Development.
At the University of California, Los Angeles also shared a similar model where they have
a summer bridge program for their doctoral students called UCLA Competitive Edge: Summer
Transition Program to the Doctorate (UCLA, 2024.) This summer program is an intensive, six
week program for newly admitted, entering doctoral students from underrepresented
backgrounds for students who have a strong interest in pursuing a faculty or research position.
Each fellow will have the opportunity to work alongside a faculty member and create a research
project to submit a draft to the research institute. In addition, the program includes professional
development topics such as: Imposter Syndrome and How to Overcome It; Writing Successful
Grant & Fellowship Applications; Financing Your Graduate Education; and Journal Club
(UCLA, 2024). According to the UCLA webpage, some of the benefits from participating in the
summer program include:
● Advanced introduction to faculty and research, including mentorship,
● Advanced introduction to UCLA campus and resources,
● Acquisition of critical skills through workshops and lectures, including grant writing
skills through a draft grant research statement, and
● Community building with other incoming, first-year doctoral students and networking
opportunities with Competitive Edge Alumni.
Using the UCSD and UCLA summer bridge programs as models, it is recommended to
integrate a transitional summer program into the curriculum spanning 4-6 weeks to equip

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incoming graduate students with the necessary resources and knowledge to prepare for graduate
school. The aim of this program is to provide students with the skills and tools to navigate
graduate studies successfully. The program offers an opportunity for students to learn about new
academic writing formats such as APA, the significance of securing internships, the importance
of professional development, and other relevant topics.
The class entails comprehensive modules on diverse topics that would allow students to
gain insights into crucial aspects of graduate school. These modules cover the various challenges
students may encounter during their academic journey and provide them with the necessary
strategies to overcome these hurdles. Additionally, students receive extensive training on
academic writing and formatting, which is a vital skill for graduate students. The program would
also provide students with information about the institutional policies and guidelines that they
need to abide by, as well as the different campus resources available to them. By participating in
this program, students were better equipped to adapt to the rigors of graduate school and raise
their chances of academic success.
As per the findings of this study, first-generation graduate students entering the
counseling program have faced challenges in the onboarding process, including feeling
academically and socially unprepared for graduate school. In light of this, it is recommended that
best practices from UCSD and UCLA be implemented to better support this group of students.
This will ensure that they receive the necessary resources and assistance to succeed in their
academic pursuits. Given these two examples from UCSD and UCLA, I recommend the
implementation of a four week summer class, which can be embedded into the curriculum and
would thus make the course required for all students. Topics that can be included in the course
might include: time management 101, effective reading and study strategies, workshops on APA

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familarity, utilizing library resources, writing workshops and identifying your values and goals.
Another recommendation might include a professional development component, such as: starting
your internship search, along with resume and cover letter support, identifying mentors, how to
get the most of your internship experiene, and conference participation 101. Additional areas
may include: social/emotional preparation for graduate school, along with the importance of
connecting and building relationships, imposter syndrome 101 and the impact of belonging,
hidden curriculum and a possible resoruce fair from cultural and identity resource centers on
campus. In addition to that also providing information on financial literacy to first-generation
students.
Orientation
During the first day of orientation, it is customary to meet with various stakeholders
within the graduate program, including the office of the graduate program, faculty staff, and
alumni. In addition to these stakeholders, it is recommended to invite campus partners that can
provide support to graduate students. These partners may include affinity centers, student
organizations, and career services, amongst others. Given the feedback from the participants in
this study, I advise for orientation to be held in-person and to be offered over the course of two
days. The two day orientation may include:
○ Day 1 Introductory & Get to know the Program/Campus
■ Current Student Panel
■ Faculty Meet and Greet
■ Alumni Panel (1, 3 and 5 years out)
■ Resource Center Fair
● Graduate Student Organizations
● Cultural and Identity Center Representatives
■ Financial Aid and Scholarships
■ Career Center
■ Student Health Center (i.e. Counseling support)
○ 1st Generation Graduate Student Additional Support
■ 1st gen Mentoring Program

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■ 1st gen Resource Center
○ Day 2 - Student Led Orientation- Cohort/Community Bonding
■ Consideration:
● Campus Tour
(1) Scavenger Hunt Style with groups with their peers
● Group Counseling Sessions led by Student Leaders
● Purpose
(1) Build community nurturing a sense of support and
togetherness
(2) Reflect on our why/purpose Nurture and instill hope in
their journeys
● Possible Topics:
(1) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
(2) Finding Community as a Graduate Student
■ Networking opportunities
It is imperative that students prioritize their well-being by availing themselves of the
various services that are available to them, such as the Basic Needs Center and Student Health
Center that offers mental health counseling both individually and in groups. By attending to both
academic and personal needs, students can ensure a more fulfilling and successful college
experience. Graduate students often carry multiple responsibilities, which can result in
heightened stress levels. Therefore, it is imperative to showcase our concern for their overall
well-being beyond their academic pursuits. Demonstrating that we prioritize their health and
wellness can lead to a more positive and productive academic environment.
The second day of orientation will be comprised of bonding activities and led by the 2nd
year cohort to introduce them to the program and create a sense of belonging amongst both
cohorts. The first activity will be a small group scavenger hunt activity where students will be
visiting campus monuments with a second-year group leader. This allows for second year
students to share any advice or personal experiences with them during their scavenger hunt. The
next activity will follow with a current student panel and share about their experiences and how
does it look like to be a counseling graduate student. Another bonding activity may include and

94
minic group counseling where second year students facilitate mini group sessions on different
topics that may include: reflecting on your why, ways to build togetherness, share personal
experiences, and developing an excitement for graduate school.
First Semester of Graduate School
In the first semester of graduate school, the first-generation graduate student participants
described are navigating graduate school for the first time and the challenges that they
experienced. Based on those experiences, one primary recommendation is to require all first-year
graduate students to meet with their advisors for mandatory advisement.
Best practices for better supporting first-generation graduate students may include:
● Mandatory advisement with program advisor
○ Purpose and objectives for these meetings
■ Build rapport with new students
■ Help the students identify at least one campus contact for support if
needed
■ Provide safe space for students to share their fears or worries as they come
up
○ Possible Questions
■ What support do you need during your transition into graduate school?
■ What does your sources of support look like outside of the program?
First-generation students face unique challenges during their first semester of graduate
school as they navigate the unfamiliar territory of higher education. In order to support these
students, it is important for graduate programs to consider providing individualized meetings for

95
all students. This will help ensure that each student receives the necessary support and resources
to succeed in their academic pursuits. By taking this proactive approach, graduate programs can
foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all students.
Find Community
● Possible Offerings in the first semester
○ Offer a food pantry inside the program office available to any students in need
(include snacks, but also gift cards to local grocery stores)
● Professional Development Workshops
○ Find a mentor
○ Resume and Cover Letter Support 101
○ Managing Stress as a new graduate student
○ Finding internships and part-time positions during grad school
○ Finding support from Centers on Campus
○ Alumni Mentorship Program
○ Community Care Circles
■ Purpose: Build a community on trust and safe space, support new students
in their first semester of grad school, support student leaders to facilitate
spaces
Another recommendation for the programs to consider is to offer a food pantry in the
program office. Based on the participants in this study, financing their education and juggling the
balance of holding multiple jobs and supporting themselves financially was a huge burden. As
such, it is critical for the program office to assist those students who may be struggling with
being food insecure by providing a food pantry. This support can provide snacks on the go for
graduate students who may be commuters to gift cards to local eateries or grocery stores near
campus.
Additionally, offerings can include professional development workshops on how to
support finding a mentor, or resume and cover letter information to support finding a part-time
job or internship. Other possible workshops may center their well-being such as bringing in
counseling professionals from the Mental Health Center to provide strategies on how to manage

96
their stress and advocate for individual and/or group therapy. Many graduate programs already
have peer mentorship programs but in addition to that it would be very helpful for students to
begin to connect with current professionals in the field who are alumni of the program. Students
who are connecting with alumni can get a better sense of the types of experiences to look for by
meeting with alumni mentors to get the most of their time in graduate school. As such as an
alumni mentorship program can be extremely beneficial to first generation graduate students
navigating their first semester of graduate school.
Community care circles can provide an environment for graduate students to share
personal experiences, whether academic or otherwise, regarding the various transitions they
undergo during their time in school. Such sharing can help these students feel less isolated and
more connected with one another. Prioritizing the mental health and well-being of graduate
students is crucial, and community care circles can be one way to achieve this goal. By creating a
safe and supportive space for students to share their experiences and connect with like-minded
individuals, these circles can provide students the necessary support to navigate the challenges of
academic life.Additionally, in advising meetings, it is imperative to create awareness about the
identity and cultural based resource centers that the institution has established. This will enable
students to acquaint themselves with the available resources, events, and study spaces. Such an
approach can prove to be highly beneficial in promoting student engagement and facilitating
their academic success. By familiarizing themselves with these centers, students can gain access
to valuable support systems and find communities of like-minded individuals. Therefore, it is
recommended that academic advisors incorporate this information into their advising sessions to
ensure that students are aware of the resources available to them. Example of resource centers

97
may include: Latinx Resource Center, Black Resource, Native American Resource Center,
LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Asian Resource Resource, or Multicultural Resource Center.
Lastly, one solution to assist students who are new to the area and may not be familiar
with local dining options is to create a Local Dining Resource Guide. This guide would provide
information about the various dining establishments in the surrounding areas, allowing students
to easily locate and access food options that are convenient for them. This type of resource
would be particularly useful for graduate students who may be coming directly from internships
or full-time jobs and need to quickly find dining options before attending classes. By creating
this guide, we can help students feel more comfortable and confident as they navigate their new
surroundings, and provide them with the information they need to make informed dining choices.
After analyzing the data, I have identified several recommendations that could prove
beneficial and effective for first-generation students who are pursuing graduate studies. These
recommendations are aimed at facilitating the transition of such students into the academic and
professional spheres, and include strategies such as mentorship programs, academic support
services, and networking opportunities. By implementing these recommendations, universities
can ensure that first-generation students receive the support they need to successfully navigate
the challenges of graduate school and achieve their academic and career goals.

98
Chapter 6: Researcher’s Epilogue
When I came to graduate school, I was envisioning something different I’m not sure what
I was expecting but because I was admitted at a later time, I believe this made a difference. As
mentioned in Chapter 1, I didn’t get the chance to participate in the newly admitted student
day/dinner or preview day. During this research process, I was very excited to interview my
peers and learn more about their experiences coming into graduate school and what were their
needs before entering graduate school. Once I began the interview sessions, some things that
resonated with me were how different imposter syndrome looked on all of them. When I
experienced imposter syndrome, it was more of what did the other students have that I didn’t?
Since I was rejected at first and then later admitted. After the interviewing process, I realized we
all have different needs and goals in regards to what we wanted to get out of the program.
Before this happened, I remembered how I wanted to make a change or be involved in
any way when it came to helping changing the onboarding process. At the time, I was working
on-campus and asked one of my professors where I was able to meet to talk about my concerns
with the program and was directed to the dean. I was able to speak to dean and later was
re-directed and met with the curriculum director. This is where I met Dr. B for the first time and
was offered the opportunity to participate in the curriculum development. Later down the road, I
was also invited to join the planning committee for the orientation for the incoming cohort for
Fall 2023 because I had decided to write my thesis on the onboarding process for incoming
graduate students.
Now that I have completed my thesis, a few feelings came up for me and I wonder how
other graduate students are experiencing these issues and challenges? What are other institutions
doing to make support the onbaording process for new first-generation graduate students to help

99
prepare them for graduate school? I started out asking these questions relevative to my
counseling program, but now these same questions are popping up for me as I think ahout the
general first generation graduate student population across the U.S. This interest continues to
fuel my interest in sharing my research findings. There were other areas of scope in my research
that emerged and I hope to further share these findings with the counseling program community
to help alleviate these issues to support future incoming students with moving in, moving
through and moving out. I hope in the future to do more research in this area.
Coupled with my own personal experiences in transitioning into graduate school along
with the 10 participants in this study, I present a letter to first generation graduate students
below:
Dear First-Gen Graduate Student,
Congratulations on getting accepted to grad school! This is such a huge milestone for you, and
remember to give yourself credit for making it out this far. You are here for a reason, the
admissions committee picked you for all of the talent and skills and lived experiences that you
bring and the impact you’re going to make in the field. You will have some moments of imposter
syndrome where you will feel like why did they pick me or doubts, such as why do other people
have so much more experience. Just remember that you bring a unique perspective and
experience and you are meant to be here. The first couple months is going to be a big adjustment
while you’re trying to find your footing. As you start graduate school, here are some words of
wisdom that I hope you can take away during your first year in graduate school:
● It’s okay to go at your own pace.
● Remember you’re not supposed to know everything (life is a journey and you are here to
learn and grow in grad school).

100
● It’s okay to feel unprepared.
● You will make your own impact.
● You will find your community of friends, but you need to get out there and learn to trust.
● Try to go to as many school events as you can and get the free stuff. Engaging with one
another is part of the joys of being in grad school.
● Create meaningful relationships with your professors and peers in your cohort, as these
relationships can be long lasting and critical to your professional development.
● Don’t take everything too seriously and remember to have fun!
Sincerely, Vanessa

101
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105
APPENDIX A: SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE
Screening Questionnaire:
1) Pronouns
2) Gender
3) Are you a part-time or full time student?
4) How do you identify?
5) Do you identify as a first-generation graduate student? (Definition: A first-generation
student is person whose parents did not complete a 4-year college or university degree)
6) Are you a master’s in counseling student in the School of Education at PCU?
7) Did you enter into the master’s in counseling program in Fall 2021?
8) Are you interested in being interviewed for this research study?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Not Sure
9) If you are interested in participating in the interview, please provide your email address:
a) Fill in box

106
APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Hello everyone and thank you so much for taking the time to interview with me today. I have
emailed you an information sheet for all of you and I have also attached the sheet in the chat. Are
there any questions so far?
During the duration of this interview you may withdraw at any time, or skip a question you feel
uncomfortable with.
Is it okay if I can record the interview (audio only)? This will allow me to focus on the interview
versus taking notes.
(If they say yes, I will then start the recording [they can turn off their video if they would like]).
Overview of questions:
● Icebreaker
● Building rapport
● Moving In
● Moving Through
● Moving Out

107
Icebreaker/ Background Questions: (MOVING IN)
Ice breaker:
1) What is your pseudonym, pronouns, undergrad degree and the year you started the
program?
2) Tell me what inspired you to pursue a graduate degree?
3) What was the deciding factor to attend PCU? Why Counseling?
4) How did you choose this program/profession?
5) How was the transition into graduate school?
6) What did you do to prepare for anything prior to attending? (physically/mentally?)
7) Did you attend orientation before starting the counseling program?
a) If you attended orientation, what did you learn from that experience? What was
most helpful to you? After attending orientation, how did you feel more or less
prepared for starting graduate school? (If they did not attend orientation, can you
tell me more about why you did not attend orientation?)
8) Thinking back to your experience before graduate school, how did you mentally,
physically and socially prepare for starting grad school?
a) Given your own situation and potential barriers, what challenges did you
anticipate coming into graduate school?
9) Can you tell me where you attended undergrad and did you attend orientation for that
school?
10) What was a memorable experience during your onboarding experience?
Moving Through
1. Did the onboarding process help you transition into the program?

108
2. How prepared did you feel when you started the program?
3. What were some of the challenges you experienced transitioning into graduate school?
4. What support did you have or lean on while transitioning into graduate school?
5. What coping mechanisms or strategies supported your transition into graduate school?
6. Tell me more about your goals in your time in graduate school?
7. What was your experience like in the classroom? What was your experience like with
your faculty members?
8. Have you gotten the chance to connect with other School students, alumni, or staff to
help with your transition into the Counseling program?
Moving Out
1. Do you think this program prepared you for the work you are doing now?
2. What is something you wished you could have done better to transition into the work
field?
3. What is a piece of advice would you give to yourself before entering the program?
4. What were some programs and or events that you feel impacted from the program?
5. Did you have any connectedness to the campus aside from the school of education and
counseling program?
6. Did any of the classes of the program prepare you for your counseling/ higher education
career?
7. What is a subject(s) you wish you learned more about?
8. Was this program rigorous? Why or why not?
9. Did the program help to shape you outside of your academics?
What did you expect to learn from this program?

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Asset Metadata

Creator Luis, Vanessa (author)

Core Title Who’s taking care of our graduate students? The impact of the onboarding process for first-generation students transitioning into graduate school during the COVID-19 pandemic

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Master of Education

Degree Program Educational Counseling

Degree Conferral Date 2024-05

Publication Date 04/05/2024

Defense Date 03/29/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag community college counseling,COVID-19,first-generation students,graduate students,imposter syndrome,master's in counseling,OAI-PMH Harvest,onboarding process,orientation,pandemic

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Bañuelos, Sheila (committee chair), Ocampo, Atheneus (committee member), Waters, Harold (committee member)

Creator Email luisvanessaa@gmail.com,vluis@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113871195

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