Describes a study of the effects of small group instruction on the academic performance of underprepared minority college students enrolled in orientation courses. Students were placed in groups of four to engage in task-process oriented activities, while control group students received traditional lecture-oriented instruction. Finds higher scores…

Brigham Young University (Utah) creates a personalized student profile based on high school academic records, American College Testing data, and student interests and concerns. The profile leads to an individualized letter recommending a first-year course of study and sources of additional help. Faculty freshman advisors are trained in use of the…

A group of high-risk transfer students in third through fifth grades participated in a school orientation program and received tutoring at school. A second group received additional tutoring at home. Both groups showed modest improvements in academic and social behavior. Combined tutoring at home and school was more effective for third graders…

Springfield (Massachusetts) Technical Community College targets nontraditional students for cooperative education with strategies for ensuring successful placements (preco-op seminar, information interviews, job shadowing), linkages with the Division of General Studies, and a special freshman orientation program. (SK)

This study examines campus-wide orientation practices for graduate students that are offered at colleges and universities throughout the United States. While orientation plays a vital role in the socialization of graduate students, there is little understanding as to the specific practices that occur on the various campuses. To address this, all…

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) regularly evaluates the experience of international students in Canada through a benchmarking survey. Canada First 2009 represents the fourth time CBIE has conducted this research. Previous editions appeared in 1988, 1999 and 2004. This year's survey used a revised questionnaire similar to…

In 1996, Ohio's Terra Community College undertook a project to substantiate the need for a comprehensive orientation program and to develop such a program, including a pre-college session and a college orientation class. Information was gathered through a literature review, suggesting that orientation creates a bond between the student and the…

This paper examines the organizational development and process phases of establishing a student recruitment system at Southeast Missouri State University which began when the student recruitment unit of the school was transferred to the Office of University Relations. The various components of Southeast's efforts in influencing a student's choice…

Recognition of the school as a cultural phenomenon has implications for the way in which the new principal enters a fully operational school, defines a role, and attempts to exercise influence. This paper outlines a three-part general strategy whereby the new principal can become a participant in the ongoing negotiation of the school culture.…

This 59-item annotated bibliography covers suggested reading material published between 1956 and 1991 to assist college faculty and administrators in promoting first year success for college freshmen. The bibliography is divided into seven sections of resource materials. Section 1 contains suggested readings on both objective research on the…

In fall 1981, entering freshmen at Bronx Community College (BCC) were encouraged to attend a 10-week non-credit orientation course (SPD-99), in which counselors used a variety of materials and instructional procedures to assist students with their educational, career, and personal development and to introduce students to various campus resources…

A study was conducted at Oxnard College to assess the effectiveness of a multimodal orientation program designed by the college's Assessment Center to reduce test anxiety traumas by explaining theories of stress and techniques for stress reduction, self-help breathing, muscle relaxation, and creative visualization. The Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI)…

A study was conducted at Sacramento City College to determine the effect of "College Success" (CS), an extended orientation class, on students' academic performance and persistence. The study included three groups of students: 116 students enrolled in CS, 104 students who attended a 4-hour New Student Orientation (NSO), and 84 students who…

The structural relations of the seven non-cognitive dimensions proposed by W. E. Sedlacek and G. C. Brooks (1976) and traditional definitions of academic ability, as indicated by Statistical Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, to first semester grade point average (GPA) and persistence after three and five semesters were examined. Random samples of…

Perspectives on studying abroad in third world countries are presented. Fewer than 5% of Americans who study abroad do so in Third World Countries, although economically and politically the United States and these countries are interdependent. In addition, many employers are seeking individuals with cross-cultural training and sensitivity. The…