Psychosocial Readiness for College and Higher Education Orientations Among First- and Non-First-Generation Arab Ethnic Minority Students in Israel: A Longitudinal Study

This study examined two factors relating to students’ successful integration into higher education: psychosocial readiness for college (PRC; academic self-efficacy, educational commitment, social comfort, campus engagement, self-discipline, resilience, and institutional commitment) and higher education orientations (profession, knowledge, social, prestige, and external). Their impact on academic success—measured by satisfaction with the major in the first year and grade point average (GPA) and academic satisfaction in the second year—was tested among ethnic minority Arab college students in Israel (N = 1,055; 67% first-generation students). These students were followed from the beginning of their first year (T1) to the start of their second year (T2). At T1, two PRC dimensions (academic self-efficacy and institutional commitment) and four higher education orientations (excluding social orientation) predicted satisfaction with the major. At T2, three PRC dimensions (resilience, self-discipline, and institutional commitment) and profession orientation predicted academic satisfaction, while two PRC dimensions (self-discipline and educational commitment) and social orientation predicted GPA. For first-generation students, profession orientation was associated with higher academic satisfaction, whereas for non-first-generation students, it was associated with lower academic satisfaction. Similarly, social comfort predicted higher GPA for first-generation students but lower GPA for non-first-generation students. The findings highlight the role of psychosocial resources and higher education orientations in supporting academic success among first- and non-first-generation students, emphasizing the need for tailored support to address their unique challenges.