The purpose of this study was to examine what influence, if any, input and environmental variables have on students' initial sense of belonging within the first 3 weeks of their community college experience. Using Strayhorn's model of students' initial sense of belonging and Astin's student involvement theory, data from the 2018-2020 Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) were analyzed using stepwise regression to determine what variables were significant predictors of belonging among students. The final model identified 29 significant predictors and described 59.8% of the variance in sense of belonging. Four primary areas of focus emerged from this study as contributing greatly to student sense of belonging within the first 3 weeks: (a) early connection, (b) academic and social support, (c) high expectations, and (d) having a clear academic plan. Results are reviewed and recommendations made on how institutions can improve student sense of belonging among entering students. Implications for policy and procedure, theory, future research, and practice are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]