This case study explores the first year college transition experiences of a cohort of eight first generation Latinx students who graduated from the same low-performing urban high school. Drawing on Tara Yosso's (2005) model of community cultural wealth, I examine the challenges students confronted at their respective postsecondary institutions and…

Institutions of higher education must include policy-informing research into their long-term retention planning to improve institutional practices regarding student support and persistence (Bean, 2001; Kuh, 2006; Brown, 2015). This information is needed to make institutions of higher education aware of how student characteristics interact with the…

This qualitative study explores the college choice process and first-year experiences of first-generation college Latino students. Case study analysis was used with one-on-one interviews, revealing five emerging themes: (1) Latino identity expression; (2) first in the family; (3) desire for sense of community; (4) embracing Latino identity in…

Recent trends in globalization have increased the number of U.S. children and adolescents being raised outside the United States. Using the framework of adults in transition, the authors sought to understand the structure of Third Culture Kids' (TCKs), specifically Missionary Kids', transition to college. Findings indicate that participants must…

Outdoor orientation programming as a means for orientating students to college has experienced significant growth and expanded use over the past decade. An increase in rigorous research has accompanied this growth as colleges and universities seek to understand and meet the needs of young adults in transition. In this study, two research questions…

This research examined the simultaneous influences of emotional intelligence, adjustment to university, authoritative versus other parenting style, and high school average on first year university students' grade point average (GPA) via structural equation modeling. The participants were 299 first year students from the social science faculty at…

Weak connections between students and their academic and social environment can hinder commitment and lead to departure (Deil-Amen, 2011; Karp, Hughes, & O'Gara, 2010). Given their influence on college retention and completion, higher levels of academic and social integration should be a priority. Rather than focus on why students leave, it is…

This chapter discusses the transition from high school to college for student-athletes. The concepts of athlete identity and leadership development are discussed through the lens of the high school athlete who attends college as a collegiate athlete and those students who are dealing with a loss of their high school athlete identity.

Measuring student experience in terms of satisfaction is a national measure used by prospective students when considering their higher education choices. Increasingly league tables are used as a means to rank universities with a limited interrogation of the reality of students' experiences. This study explored the question 'What really matters to…

The current study details changes in first-year international undergraduate students' perceived knowledge of, confidence in, and usefulness of intercultural skills in specific US university contexts after completing a semester-long academic and cultural transition course at a mid-sized private university. Results revealed significant increases in…

Analysis of diverse first-year and first-generation learning communities students' reflective narratives shows this population of students at an urban commuter college of technology face significant challenges in the transition into college. Designed to assist in this transition, the "Our Stories" digital writing project incorporates…

Retention of students in university or other postsecondary education programs is a common problem for many institutions, with retention from first year to second year of study being particularly problematic in Canada and the United States. A number of factors are known to affect retention, and a number of measures have been identified which can…

Increasing numbers of student veterans in the United States are transitioning into a higher education culture that reflects major differences from the military culture. Higher education leaders need to understand what these students require and what will help them transition smoothly into higher education. The purpose of this quantitative case…

While study success and completion rates are important issues in educational policy, research highlights the particular relevance of the first year in higher education (HE) for students' future academic performance and achievement. In Germany, the recent reform of degree programmes appears to have created new challenges related to students'…

The South African higher education sector is faced with high attrition and low retention rates. Studies conducted by the Council on Higher Education in South Africa have found that 50% of black students who access university study drop out, and the majority of dropouts occurred in the first year of study. While these studies revealed what the…