At the transition to higher education, students from diverse backgrounds develop peer networks that support learning in higher education. However, few studies have investigated how students' background characteristics play a role in social selection mechanisms such as friendship and help-seeking and what drives the formation of diverse peer…

Non-parent mentoring relationships are important protective factors for first-generation college students. Previous research has focused on singular mentoring relationships measured at one time point, failing to capture the breadth and dynamic nature of social networks. The current study is a longitudinal investigation of first-generation…

There is a lot of research on pathways students' transition to universities, however, little is known about those students' initial transition to the Academic Pathway Program (APP). This study investigated students' transition to an Academic Pathway Program (APP) offered at a College affiliated to a metropolitan university in Sydney, Australia.…

This qualitative descriptive study explored how first-generation college students (FGCS) describe their academic help-seeking (AHS) processes at a large first-generation college student serving university in Southern California. FGCS are less likely to retain than their counterparts and can benefit from support with academic help-seeking. This…

First-generation college students (FGCS) experience a myriad of unique challenges when starting their university education, including perceiving themselves as being socially isolated on campus (Markowitz, 2016; Nazione et al., 2011; Wilkins, 2014), experiencing guilt as they leave behind academically family and friends (Banks-Santilli, 2015; Orbe,…

Objective: The needs and experiences of Chinese international students in the context of secondary education have been largely under-researched. Tertiary education research has shown international student populations are particularly susceptible to acculturative stressors, loneliness, and isolation in host cultures therefore it is important to…

The overarching purpose of this study was to explore the post-transfer factors contributing to transfer shock. More specifically, this study sought to understand what academic normative differences exist between community college and transfer institution contexts and how these differences induced transfer shock. The study focused on STEM majors…

To date, research has focussed on understanding how various contextual factors facilitate students' adjustments to university as they begin their studies. However, there seems to be limited or no research and instruments that have specifically conceptualised and measured students' adjustments, considering their transitional challenges, emotional…

An increasing number of students enrolling in college engaged in Tier 2 response to intervention (RTI) academic supports in high school to supplement their secondary education. However, few researchers examined if prior experiences with RTI influence academic self-efficacy in college, a construct known to promote student retention and graduation…

Students often struggle in the transition from high school to college. One component of this struggle is adjusting study habits to navigate new academic expectations. Another is establishing new relationships in college that can support their emotional well-being and academic success. We administered surveys consisting primarily of open-ended…

First-generation (FG) college students (students for whom neither parent earned a bachelor's degree) are typically less likely to interact with their instructors and communicate with them by email or in person, compared to continuing-generation (CG) students. Qualitative research suggests FG students are less likely to seek help when they need it,…

Transition from regimented military life to a less structured college life can pose considerable challenges for student veterans. However, student veterans may be reluctant to seek psychological help because of the help-seeking stigma in the military culture. The present study investigated the measurement structure, reliability, and validity of…

This study explores the mental health perceptions, expectations for mental healthcare, and use of existing mental health services among international engineering students at a Western Canadian university. Employing a phenomenological qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 international undergraduate engineering…

This paper explores the transnational trajectories of female Malaysian Muslim students through their commitment to piety-minded forms of Islam. In particular, it seeks to identify the reasons for their participation in piety movements and its importance to their lives. The ethnographic research, conducted over 8 months, involved 18 Malaysian…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to better understand the resilience-building experiences of traditional incoming college students through semi-structured interviews. The study sought to identify themes or vulnerability factors associated with the phenomenon described as low resilience in this population. This study was…