There has been a notable increase in the number of first-generation students pursuing a college degree. However, there is a mismatch between the number of first-generation students entering college and the number of them continuing their mission through college. Given the college completion disparity for first-generation students, it is essential to research and help understand if grit affects their persistence. This research encompassed a study on the grit levels among first-generation students over the number of semesters they enrolled in a South Texas university. This non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative study aimed to help determine if there was a difference in grit levels among first-generation and non-first-generation college students who persist at a South Texas university. Duckworth's (2016) Grit Theory and Tinto's (2017) Persistence Theory were used as theoretical frameworks to examine students' perseverance and persistence in college. The sample population of participants consisted of 115 undergraduate students attending a South Texas university. The participants completed a demographic section attached to the Grit Scale Survey. The results indicated no significant difference in passion, perseverance, or grit based on first-generation status when controlling for the number of semesters enrolled at the university. [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.]