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This research uses first-generation college students' scores as reported on the Ruffalo Noel Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI) pre-college survey to investigate if attitudes students hold before starting college impact their academic outcomes. Additionally, CSI data is disaggregated by first-generation students' participation in a TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) program to determine if there is a link between first-generation students' CSI responses and their GPAs, persistence, and graduation outcomes, and if participation in TRIO SSS positively impacts those outcomes. Previous research that addressed these issues did not investigate students' receptivity to support before starting college. This research uses quantitative research methods including "t" tests, ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare the means of first-generation students' CSI responses. These means are further analyzed by race/ethnicity and gender identity to see if these identities impact students' responses on the CSI. This research furthers the knowledge surrounding first-generation students' attitudes to receptivity to support before they begin college, seeks to determine a link between attitudes and persistence, graduation, and GPA, and explores if participation in TRIO SSS has a positive impact on these outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]