From Meritocratic Myth to Systemic Barrier: A Longitudinal Study of First-Generation University Students' Social Capital and Belonging

Abstract

Higher education institutions often perpetuate a meritocratic ideology that attributes success solely to individual effort and talent. This longitudinal, mixed-methods study challenges this narrative by tracing the journeys of 50 first-generation university students in Australia over three years. Utilizing surveys, social network mapping, and repeated interviews, the research examines the role of social capital in academic persistence and sense of belonging. Quantitative results show a significant correlation between students' ability to build bridging social capital with faculty and peers and their likelihood of progressing beyond the first year. Qualitative findings reveal that first-generation students frequently lack the "navigational capital" possessed by their continuing-generation peers, leading to feelings of imposter syndrome and institutional estrangement. The study concludes that the "meritocratic" field of higher education is, in fact, structured by unacknowledged advantages. It calls for universities to move beyond deficit models and actively implement mentoring and cohort-building programs that systematically cultivate the social capital essential for the success of first-generation students.