Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First-Generation College StudentsThe author, Julia Brookshire Everett, began the article: “Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First-Generation College Students,” first characterizing first-generation college students and also exposing the difficulties first-generation students face in acquiring post-secondary degrees. According to Everett (2015), the term “first-generation college student” was first coined in the 1960s to regulate student eligibility for federally funded programs to assist students from low-income families. rates, Everett (2015) stated that community colleges have created opportunities for first-generation students through five admissions divisions (p. 52). The intent of this article was to address the five divisions of access provided by community colleges for first-generation college students which include: financial accessibility, geographic accessibility, programmatic accessibility, academic accessibility, cultural/social/physical accessibility, and also the problems faced by these students after admission. Summary According to Everett (2015) students who have college-educated parents are at an advantage when it comes to enrolling in and finishing college (p.53). He further stated that this assumption is based on a recognized concept such as social capital. Social capital, as defined by the author, is “the value of a relationship that provides support and assistance in a given social situation” (Everett, 2015, p. 53). The word 'access', in relation to higher education, has been defined as the circus... middle of the paper... gh, and simple. ConclusionEverett highlighted the favorable circumstances provided by public colleges that have created access for first-generation students. It divided access into five categories: financial, geographic, programmatic, academic, and cultural/social/physical accessibility. He went on to elaborate on the different ways these elements helped first-generation students attend college. He concluded the article with some challenges faced by first-generation students and the programs implemented to combat those challenges. Discussion Questions1. What other ways can access and opportunities be created for first-generation students?2. Could a cost-effective program be created to prepare first-generation students for college?3. What are some other ways to help first-generation students address the challenges they face in college?