Assessment data from both an FYE-infused general education course (N = 153) and a first-year seminar (N = 392) were analyzed to identify students' perceptions about projects that required significant participation in out-of-class activities as an integral part of the course. The results from this analysis revealed that in addition to increasing…

This article describes the rationale for a first-year seminar for international students and reports the findings of a study examining its effectiveness. The seminar focuses on four primary objectives: (a) policies and procedures of the university's English as a Second Language (ESL) program; (b) university policies and American higher education;…

Explores traditional assumptions about the relative emphasis faculty members and student affairs administrators place on cognitive and affective development in the classroom. Examination of 180 students and six teachers suggests that traditional assumptions about the relative emphasis that faculty members and student affairs educators place on…

Reports research on the relationship between student interaction in freshman seminar courses and instructor techniques and interaction. Results indicate that freshmen differ significantly from upperclassmen and differ somewhat from their instructors when reporting effects of certain teaching techniques on classroom participation. Students and…

Describes a project at Rockhurst College to address attrition problems called Freshmen in Science. The project goal was to build a support system for the curriculum that would encourage students to put forth their best effort. Describes the planning process, program, and results from a six-year effort to keep students interested in science-related…

This study uses longitudinal data comprised of responses to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's (CIRP) 2000 Freshman Survey and the 2001 Your First College Year (YFCY) Survey to investigate the impact of first-year seminars on key student outcomes. Specifically, descriptive analyses address the relationship between taking a first-year…

"Avenues to Success in College," a noncredit first-year orientation course, taught study and coping skills, familiarized students with campus facilities, and provided information about drug/alcohol use and other first-year concerns. Students completing the course earned higher average grades, were less likely to experience academic…

High-risk college freshmen (n=72), most African-Americans, who participated in a deliberate psychological education-based orientation course that addressed minority student needs and incorporated principles of student development, achieved significant increases in cognitive development, study skills, and course satisfaction. However, achievements…

Comparison of the responses of Asian, black, and white honors students attending a first-year seminar at a large research university found that Asians differed most often from white and black students on all issues. Academic issues most often engendered group differences. Results suggest that racial subgroups in the honors student population have…

To help new students clarify goals, understand the demands of college, and successfully adjust to college life, Queensborough Community College (QCC), in Bayside, New York, developed the "Introduction to College" program. The program combines a 4-week orientation seminar with a writing-accross-the-curriculum approach to help QCC's…

The effectiveness of a California State University, Long Beach, program to prepare incoming students for university-level work and educational processes was assessed in 2 surveys of new students (n=1,100, n=1,613) and 1 of 80 who had taken the course previously. Key elements in program success were identified: course content; teaching techniques;…

Guidelines to enhancing the freshman year experience are presented in the following chapters: (1) "A Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Freshman Success" (M. Lee Upcraft, John N. Gardner); (2) "Who Are Today's Freshmen?" (Arthur Levine); (3) "A Historical Look at the Freshman Year Experience" (John Orr Dwyer); (4) "Understanding Student…