In Canada little research has been conducted on those who are the first in their families to attend university. Cultural reproduction theory suggests that such students would be less likely to engage in the type of activities that, according to the college impact model, contribute to academic achievement. In order to test these and other possibilities a longitudinal survey-based study of domestic and international students was conducted at four Canadian universities. Overall it was found that university experiences did vary by the educational background of parents; however, such experiences were not always of consequence for academic achievement. (Contains 1 note, 5 tables, and 7 figures.)