Distance education students have less access to classmates as a social resource and may, therefore, rely more on family members for support. However, first-generation students, or students who are the first in their family to attend university, may lack the academic resources that family members can provide. Overall, first-generation students in distance education programs may be at particular risk of lacking the necessary social capital to thrive in university. This study investigated whether two family resource variables--providing guidance about university and expressing supportive attitudes toward university--varied across generation status among distance education students. The study also investigated whether these family resource variables predicted students' academic adjustment and academic persistence. A sample of 224 undergraduate, distance education students in South Africa completed an online survey. First-generation students (n = 60) reported receiving less university guidance from family members compared to continuing-generation students. In addition, receiving university guidance predicted students' academic adjustment. The results suggest that university guidance from family members may serve as a protective factor against potential challenges that can impact students' academic adjustment, a protective factor that first-generation students are less likely to have.