The COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020 gave rise to a number of challenges for first-year experience activities at universities globally. One of the key challenges was the process of onboarding first-year students through an orientation programme that could not take place face-to-face as per the norm. In 2021, the first-year orientation at…

Many new students are struggling to succeed in the current college environment. The mental health crisis and the pandemic have only increased this struggle. Communication centers should partner with student orientation in order to increase student retention, alongside familiarizing students with the communication center from the beginning of their…

Technology has become a way of life since March 2020 and the statewide shutdowns after the COVID-19 pandemic. People who had gotten by without ever having to use the internet, much less turn on a computer, had to learn quickly to change and adapt. The administrative team of Fontana Adult School realized the need to help students with basic digital…

This study examined an intervention designed to improve sense of belongingness for new students at a medium-sized, four-year, public university in the Eastern United States. A randomized controlled trial was used to assess the impact of The Connection Project, a novel, 9-session intervention in a sample of 128 first-year students (77 treatment, 48…

This study contributes to applied and theoretical research for schools and districts by exploring data-based evidence of the relationships between the COVID-19 pandemic and student engagement with school. The paper features trend data on student orientation to school assessed via the multi-dimensional Student Orientation to School Questionnaire…

In this article, Staci Phelan interviews the following enrollment management team members from Idaho State University: James Martin, Director of Financial; Debbie Green, Director of Scholarships; Nicole Joseph, Director of Admissions; and Brooke Barber, Director of New Student Orientation. The following questions are addressed in this interview:…

The social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have challenged many aspects of preschool everyday life. Particularly vulnerable to these restrictions is the aspect of introducing new children to preschool, since preschool introduction constitutes a natural arena for establishment of preschool staff's relationships with children and their…

This case study will describe the rapid transition our Office of Student Success and Advising and Office of Admissions made from March 11 to April 7, 2020 in shifting all academic advising and new student orientation (NSO) from in-person to remote efforts due to the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic. The Office of Student Success and Advising…

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) is in the process of deploying ongoing guidance on a range of topics in support of institutions of higher education, as many need to adjust, review and consider their practices in response to the impact of COVID-19 on normal operations. To help develop this guidance and…

The transition from high school to college is challenging under normal circumstances. But this year--with students ending high school remotely and potentially starting college virtually--this transition may seem nearly impossible for too many students. Young people will need to navigate complex systems of registration, enrollment, and financial…