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ERIC Number: ED659904
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 136
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3840-1107-1
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Freshman Seminars and Persistence Forward
Lafateia Nauheimer
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Austin Peay State University
Freshman seminar courses aim to address dropout rates, college achievement, increase persistence rates, and student adjustment in approximately 94% of colleges and universities in America. First-generation college students make up nearly a third of higher education students and are likelier to drop out of college within the first 2-years of attendance. Despite extensive research that indicates first-year seminar successes, 16% of students entering 4-year institutions fail to make it to their second year, and there is little supporting data at the university examining freshman seminars and the persistence of first-generation students, which is the problem highlighted in this study. This study employed a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach to understanding first-generation college students' perceptions of freshman seminars and the perceived influencing factors of freshman seminars that lead to academic persistence among first-generation college students. Participants included eight first-generation college students at a medium-sized public university in Northwestern Tennessee. Participant data were collected and analyzed using semistructured interviews with first-generation college students through open and closed-ended questions. Findings indicated (a) campus culture and student awareness of their college experiences significantly impact student persistence and academic success; (b) the freshman seminar course promotes academic success; and (c) the freshman seminar course adds value to transitioning first-generation college students. Recommendations for practice include evaluating current and future student success programs through the theoretical lens of SCT and self-efficacy to include the entire campus community interacting with the student body to enhance the transitional experience. [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.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tennessee
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A