COVID-19 is a deadly pandemic that caused many colleges and universities to send students home and move courses online or to a hybrid of online and in-person learning. This qualitative study provides research on the impact of COVID-19 on the motivators and barriers of first- generation college students (FGCS). The study used a sample of FGCS enrolled in college in Fall 2021 from two private, four-year institutions in Washington, DC. The results of this study indicate that COVID-19 impacted the challenges and obstacles FGCS face in enrolling in college and staying in college. Family and financial aid were the factors that most influenced students' desire to attend college and stay enrolled. Students identified family as both a motivator and a stressor. Students indicated they need additional support transitioning to college. These students faced social and academic pressures when they returned to in-person learning and preferred learning online. These findings suggest that higher education institutions need to understand what barriers and motivators these students faced during the pandemic to make informed changes to eliminate or lessen these barriers and increase the motivation for those students to attend college. Improving communication and interaction with families, expanding financial aid, creating additional resources specific to FGCS, and fostering inclusion and building a sense of community in the classroom will help these students stay in school and graduate.