ERIC Number: EJ1451161
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1542-3077
EISSN: EISSN-2373-0153
"I Am so Glad I'm in This Class:" Transition Experiences of First-Year Seminar Students with Significant Early College Credit
Nikola Grafnetterova; Kellie Jarvis; Rita Sperry; Chelsie Hawkinson
Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, v36 n2 p33-51 2024
Higher education has seen an increase in first-year students who arrive with significant early college credit. There is a gap in research about how first-year seminars meet the transition needs of students with college-level experience obtained during high school. This qualitative study, guided by Schlossberg's (1989) transition theory, explored the role of a mandatory first-year seminar on the transition experiences of students with significant early college credit. Focus groups revealed that participants went through a relatively smooth transition because they had familiarity with college-level expectations and study skills. On the other hand, they experienced difficulties due to the academic rigor of upper division coursework in the first year of college and the need for advanced decision making, such as in career choice, because graduation was imminent. The first-year seminar requirement provided instructor support, campus integration, and sense of community for the unique transition needs of students with significant early college credit.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, First Year Seminars, College Credits, Transitional Programs, Student Adjustment, School Orientation, Sense of Community, Academic Support Services, Student Attitudes
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. University of South Carolina, 1728 College Street, Columbia, SC 29208. Tel: 803-777-6229; Fax: 803-777-4699; e-mail: fye@sc.edu; Web site: http://sc.edu/fye/journal/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas (Corpus Christi)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A