Bullseye on the Imposter: What We Can Do to Move the Target

As a first generation college student and an immigrant I knew virtually nothing about college, being a college student, or how to navigate the myriad of new terms like provost, matriculation, or bursar. I didn't get the answers I needed because I didn't ask the questions; not wanting to look like the imposter I felt I was. Now as an M.Ed. student about to enter the world as a Student Affairs professional I know that imposter syndrome is real, and can have palpable effects on our students.

The term Imposter Phenomenon originated as the result of studies conducted by Clance and Imes in 1987. They determined that Imposter Phenomenon occurs when a person feels like they are an imposter, that they don’t belong or deserve to be somewhere.

Imposter Phenomenon is not always easy to spot, and can often be found in students who are identified as being high achieving (Peteet et. al, 2015). It is important to know that GPA and other markers of academic success do not exclude students from feelings of imposter syndrome. They may feel like their success is due to luck, or other’s attributing intelligence to them that they don’t actually have. First generation college students specifically, often walk into institutions of higher education without the same knowledge, resources, and support systems as their peers. Transitioning into college without those same resources can reduce feelings of belonging, and cause students to feel marginalized and unprepared (Peteet at al., 2015).

So what can we do?

1. Get to know your students. Imposter syndrome isn’t a term everyone knows and students aren’t going to walk into your office saying “I feel like an imposter”. When you know a student you are in a better position to see that they are struggling, and get them the support and resources they need.

2. Look at the Resources. What systems are in place to help students transition into college, and navigate the world once they get there? Is there support for first generation students? What topics are covered during orientation? How can you help students feel like they belong?

3. Don't assume that college knowledge is common knowledge. Just because you are comfortable with the difference between dual/double major and know what a provost does, won’t mean your students do. Students come into higher education for a variety of backgrounds and experiences. How you handle getting asked a “stupid” question may make or break a relationship with a student. To you it may seem obvious, but to them it may be their key to understanding.

References

Chrisman, S.M., Pieper, W., Clance, P.R., Holland, C., & Glickauf-Hughes, C. (1995). Validation of the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65(3), 456.

Peteet, B. J., Montgomery, L., & Weekes, J. C., Predictors of imposter phenomenon among talented ethnic minority undergraduate students. (2015). The Journal of Negro Education, 84(2), 175-186.