Findings from the ninth triennial administration of the National Survey of First-Year Seminars, describing the nature and extent of first-year seminars on American college campuses. Drawn from a broad sample of colleges and universities from every institutional type, control, and size, the survey addresses topics including seminar characteristics and administration; student demographics; instructional roles, development, and compensation; and assessment. Organized into thematically focused sections, the research brief is designed to be accessible and informative and to assist both higher education researchers and practitioners realize the full potential of these seminars on student experiences and outcomes. The "2009 National Survey of First-Year Seminars: Ongoing Efforts to Support Students in Transition" comprises the most comprehensive data set of institutional information on first-year seminars and provides a national portrait of current practices and structural characteristics for these courses, as well as suggesting emerging areas and future directions.. Following a list of figures and tables, and an introduction, this book contains the following sections: (1) Seminar Types, Characteristics, and Administration; (2) Instruction and Pedagogy; (3) Assessing the Seminar; and (4) Implications for Practice. The following are appended: (1) Survey Methodology; (2) Survey Instrument; (3) Respondents to the 2009 National Survey of First-Year Seminars; and (4) Comprehensive Frequency Distribution Tables for the 2009 National Survey of First-Year Seminars. A list of references and a section about the authors is included.