Being the first one in the family to go to college, and then law school, is a remarkable accomplishment. But students who achieve these goals often face more hurdles when it’s time to fit in with their classmates.

Some will lack the confidence to contribute to class discussions because they aren’t as knowledgeable of certain topics as their peers, experts say.

“You don’t want everybody to know that you don’t know,” says Vernadette Horne, director of career and professional development and diversity initiatives at the Hofstra University Deane School of Law.

Others will have questions about etiquette, networking and similar topics that their classmates from more affluent backgrounds may already be familiar with, experts say.

[Consider schools that offer diversity as a minority law applicant.]

A number of law schools have recently started clubs or programs to help first-generation professionals succeed in school and in their careers. Members of Hofstra’s class of 2012 started the First Generation Law Students organization a few years ago and the Columbia University Law School introduced the First Generation Professionals group last school year.

University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law is one of the newest schools to follow this trend. Instead of a student group, though, the school offers an administrator-guided program: the First Generation Professionals Program. It launched in the fall of 2015, says Camille Gear Rich, a professor of law and sociology and associate provost of student and faculty initiatives in the social sciences at Gould.

“It’s a way of establishing community,” she says. “It’s about understanding and appreciating where you come from.”

The program has 37 students from a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

[Follow these nine tips for applying to law school as a minority applicant.]

J.D. candidates in the program will attend about a handful of sessions during the school year on topics such as doing public interest work, job interviews and how to explain non-professional jobs on a resume. Some students from underprivileged backgrounds may work at a fast food restaurant, for example, to bring in extra cash, while students from wealthier families may not have to take that kind of job and include it on a resume, says Rich.

She hopes the First Generation Professional Programs will expand to include alumni and community involvement.

For Thai Viet Phan, the program allowed her to connect with students who shared a background that was similar to hers. Phan came to the U.S. when she was a year old and her mother didn’t speak English. Her parents are refugees, she says. Many of her classmates, Phan says, were from affluent households.

“They didn’t experience the same barriers that I did,” says Phan, who graduated with her J.D. and a master’s in public policy from USC in December.

The First Generation Professionals Group gave her “good practical tips on how to succeed,” she says, and provided mentorship.

[Get advice on having a career in law from a diversity expert.]

First-generation professionals may be in the minority at many law schools, experts say. It’s important that prospective students seek an environment that embraces this background.

Phan says law school applicants should “look for the numbers.” Prospective students should find out the ethnic breakdown of students at the schools they’re considering to ensure that schools claiming to be diverse really are, she says.

At Deane, Horne says, her office supports first generation students in various ways, such as providing them with more personalized career counseling and teaching students the importance of networking with their peers.

She encourages applicants who will also be first-generation professionals to look for two things when evaluating different law schools.

“Look for a strong career services office, because you’re going to need more hands-on support,” she says. “Look for strong student organizations as well, because you’re going to want support from your fellow students.”

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Find a Niche at Law School as a First-Generation Professional originally appeared on usnews.com