This document provides a compendium of evaluation research findings on first-year seminars at 50 institutions of higher education. Program reports are listed by type of institution: two-year institutions, small four-year institutions, mid-sized four-year institutions, and large four-year institutions. Each listing provides a brief description of…

The first of two articles on the psychological dimensions of the school-to-college transition looks at the rising anxiety of high school seniors applying to and selecting colleges, at the importance of rituals in the transition process, the stress of decision-making about the future, and the changes occurring during the senior year in high school.…

Evaluation of a summer transition program at the University of Kansas found that, in general, participation did not have a significant effect on students' later grade point averages or retention rates. However, for students with lower academic preparation, there was a significant improvement in academic and social self-efficacy. Qualitative…

The study sought to determine the effects of a summer bridge program on the academic, personal, and social development of underrepresented and low-income students during their first year at the University of California, Los Angeles. The 1988 cohort of students enrolled in the Freshman Summer Program/Transfer Summer Program (FSP/TSP) were tracked…

In compliance with a state mandate to maintain accountability for matriculation funding, Moorpark College (MC) conducted a survey of new students to assess their satisfaction with the college's student services. A random stratified sample of 400 first-time students were contacted by mail and telephone during May and June 1990, and 295 usable…

The Outdoor Pursuit Center at Miami University, Ohio, has provided an outdoor orientation experience for incoming first-year students since 1995. The experience provides an environment that is effective in easing the transition into higher education settings. Student trip coordinators, student facilitators, faculty, and professional staff use…

A study at Cape Technikon (South Africa) investigated college choice decision making by surveying 923 applicants during the application process and 314 enrollees during orientation. Results show demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of applicants and enrollees differ, applicants consider multiple institutions, alumni and friends are the…

Orientation for first-year college students is important for students, parents, and the institution. It should fit institutional traditions, values, and culture, involve parents, be staffed by well-trained current students, and be carefully evaluated for improvement. Mississippi State University's program focuses on retention and is festive,…

Students around the globe have unique first-year experiences but struggle with many of the same challenges. This monograph focuses on their journeys and provides insights for educators interested in learning about how institutions across the globe provide supports to students dealing with first-year transition issues. Based on the successful…

This monograph presents data from a 1994 national survey on freshman seminars gathered from 1,003 accredited, two- and four-year colleges with student populations of over 100 students. The survey investigated the content and structure of freshman seminars in a mail survey of provosts/vice presidents for academic affairs at 2,460 institutions Among…

At the Fayette Campus of Pennsylvania State University (which offers the first two years of baccalaureate education), volunteering faculty members are selected to serve as academic counselors during freshmen orientation on the basis of their student-orientation, motivation, realistic perspective on counseling objectives, and their willingness to…

The University 101 concept as a method for improving university teaching and learning is described, with emphasis on the faculty training program, although the approach also includes a three-credit-hour freshman orientation course. The structure, content, outcomes, and research findings on the University 101 program are examined. The approach was…

This curriculum guide offers a broad range of activities for a one-semester college freshman orientation course covering topics chosen based on research findings and a survey of vocational rehabilitation counselors and college instructors who teach deaf and hard of hearing students. Instructional activities stress "active doing" rather than…

A study was conducted at Sacramento City College (SCC) to determine the effects of enrolling in a first-semester student success course on academic performance and persistence. Matched pairs of students, one who took the semester-long success course and one who did not, were compared in terms of number of college credit hours completed, grade…

At Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) in New York, the student body is 55% Black, 29% Hispanic, 7% Asian, and 9% White and other ethnic groups. Placement testing indicates that 70% of entering freshmen require some form of remediation. As part of BMCC's efforts to improve first-year retention rates, students requiring remediation have…