As for the first point, on educational attainment, it is actually the second generation that does best, according to studies. This perhaps has something to do with the change of identity that occurs in the third generation immigrants who feel more "American." So the impetus or drive that new Americans/immigrants feel tends to erode over time. This study found on our research website talks about educational attainment: http://immigrationresearch-info.org/report/immigrant-learning-center/higher-education-and-children-immigrant-families

As for the second point, many of the students in our report were pursuing degrees in areas that could be construed as "helping professions." One third of them were in medicine/public health, but another third were in legal fields. The rest studied everything from theology to business, engineering to education. Our report was not an empirical study, and the students profiled were either 1.5 or second-generation. There seems to be little research on exactly what fields these students pursue and, although one may think it's logical for them to pursue "helping professions," our own observation reveals that they simply do what they're best at or what they love.

Denzil Mohammed

I have heard that the first generation immigrant family (those born elsewhere) will typically not get their high school diploma. The second generation will complete high school and the third will complete their college degree.

The first family members to receive their college degrees will choose "helping" professions like teaching, social work, health related because of the need to give back to their communities. The second generation to complete college will go further to become the doctors and lawyers. Is this true? It does make sense and as a nonprofit educator I see the numbers of students who will be the first in their family to go to college increase. Could you point me to any statistics on this?

Thank you for your help. Lyn McDonough