New students arriving from different countries present a challenge to school systems as language barriers prevent them from being placed in regular classes immediately. In Germany, these students are often enrolled in "international classes" before being placed with their fellow classmates. The project "Biology for Everyone"…

Healthcare student retention rates have been a problem across the United States for several years, and it is difficult for colleges to develop orientation programs for the students to attend before they start their programs. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to investigate the perceptions of students, faculty, and administrators…

Neo-segregation is the voluntary racial segregation of students, aided by college institutions, into racially exclusive housing and common spaces, orientation and commencement ceremonies, student associations, scholarships, and classes. This study of racial segregation at Yale University is part of a larger project examining neo-segregation in…

Trust is an important variable for transitioning college students, who report a great amount of fear and uncertainty when beginning college (Bell & Williams, 2006). College students transitioning effectively need to trust both their peers and institutional representatives. Outdoor orientation programs are reported to build upon "trusting…

Summer bridge programs often aim to build social connections for first-year students to ease their transition into college, yet few studies have reported on bridge programs successfully leading to these outcomes. We backward designed a summer bridge program for incoming biology majors to increase the comfort and connections among students and…

Drawing on a new, national survey of public institutions that serve two-year students funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and conducted by Ithaka S+R and Two Year First Year, this research brief describes the ways that these institutions do--and do not--support students during their first year of enrollment. It also highlights the extent to…

As increasing numbers of colleges establish inclusive postsecondary education programs, it is important to explore how students with intellectual disability are supported in all aspects of campus life. The present study focused on inclusive first-year orientation programs from the vantage point of 16 student group leaders, faculty group leaders,…

The purpose of this IPA study was to understand how first-time, first-year traditional-aged residential students made sense of the transition experience at a small private residential college in the Boston area after participating in a 2-day overnight orientation program. Schlossberg's transition theory served as a theoretical framework for the…

This study was an exploration into how college students with autism spectrum disorder identify and use support systems during the transition to higher education. In particular, this study explored how these students described their experiences within an online environment among their peers. The study used unobtrusive qualitative methods to collect…

This qualitative study investigated academic challenges, supports and the role of readiness in academic adaptation of international students. 20 international students were recruited for data collection employing semi-structured interviews. The results showed that three types including academic challenges, socio-cultural challenges and language…

Postsecondary education programs (PSEs) for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in colleges and universities expand opportunities for these young adults and result in positive outcomes, including employment and improved social networks. Although participating in postsecondary education results in numerous benefits for…

Transitioning from high school to college can be a formidable challenge, especially for students who are the first in their family to attend college (first-generation) and/or are from low-income backgrounds. The authors' qualitative investigation of a college mentoring program illuminates the potential value of relatable peer mentors in helping…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between when in the fall semester a first year experience (FYE) course was taken to fall-to-spring retention of first time students at a large, Chicago suburban community college. Since most of the students' attrition has been in the first year in college, FYE programs have been designed to…

Outdoor orientation programs have a growing literature demonstrating positive impacts with students transitioning to college (Bell, Gass, Nafizer, & Starbuck, 2014). One of the most valued outcomes for colleges and universities is retention of students until successful graduation. This is an outcome few outdoor orientation researchers have…

In this study, we explored whether a uniquely designed First Year Experience (FYE) class for newly admitted at-risk college students would increase academic success; help students avoid academic probation; and increase retention for the following semester. Participants included 40 students (75% African Americans, 20% Hispanic Americans, and 5%…