New School Firsts

Being the first in your family to attend college is a powerful milestone—but at The New School, you don’t have to navigate it alone. More than 15 percent of our students proudly identify as first generation, forming a vibrant and supportive community across the university.

At The New School, we recognize first-generation students as those who:

• Have a parent or guardian who attended college later in life
• Have a parent or guardian who enrolled but did not complete a postsecondary degree
• Have a parent or guardian who never pursued postsecondary education
• Are the first in their family to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree in the United States

If any part of this resonates with you, welcome—you belong here. Welcome to the New School Firsts community.

First-generation students are essential to the fabric of The New School. You bring resilience, resourcefulness, adaptability, and determination—qualities that strengthen and inspire our entire campus.

Our mission is to nurture those strengths by creating spaces where you can grow, connect, and thrive. New School Firsts is dedicated to fostering a strong sense of belonging for both incoming and returning students. Through programming and community building we support your journey with resources designed to foster financial literacy, valuable relationships with faculty, mental wellness, and academic success.

"First-Gen Forward" University Designation

The New School has been recognized as a "First-Gen Forward" institution by the Center for First-generation Student Success. This designation is given to higher education institutions that have demonstrated a commitment to helping first-generation college students persist to graduation. Along with this honor, the university will receive additional resources to help us continue building programming for these students.

Celebrating First-Generation Students' Academic Excellence

Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) recognizes the academic excellence of first-generation college students. We provide a national community of support, mentorship, and distinction for those who are the first in their families to attend college.

Tri-Alpha, was founded on March 24, 2018, at Moravian College (now Moravian University) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. More than 100 members of the Alpha Chapter were initiated that day, including undergraduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and honorary members.

In fall 2025, The New School welcomed Tri Alpha as the Xi Beta Chapter. Today we continue to honor the academic excellence of our first-generation students.