This ex post facto controlled investigation was conducted from 1993 to 1996 at a medium sized, regional, predominantly White, public, four-year university in the Midwest to determine the relationship between participation in the institution's freshman year experience course and student retention and success. Students who participated in the course…

Higher education administrators are increasingly committed to proactive communication with the parents of their students, but little empirical research exists that demonstrates the effectiveness of such communication. This investigation evaluated the effects of varying frequency of communication by randomly assigning first-year college students…

First-year men at a midsized public university either saw a rape prevention program or were in a control group and were asked to complete attitude and behavior surveys at the beginning and end of an academic year. Participants were also asked whether they joined fraternities during that year. With 90% of first-year men participating throughout the…

This study revisited research on award-winning campus leaders who were effective change agents working on the behalf of first-year students (Anttonen & Chaskes, 2002). Participants were recipients of the "Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award" given annually by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in…

The statistics on acquaintance rape and sexual assault against women are a clear indication that this is a problem that needs to be confronted. An increasing number of articles address the problems that rape survivors face and examine methods mental health professionals can use to assist survivors in dealing with these problems. Articles that…

This study examined the relationships among first-year students' employment, engagement, and academic achievement using data from the 2004 National Survey of Student Engagement. A statistically significant negative relationship was found between working more than 20 hours per week and grades, even after controlling for students' characteristics…

A survey on campus culture and alcohol use was completed by 1,864 first-year students in their first semester of enrollment at a large public Midwest university. Twenty-four percent of these students agreed that students can do nothing about alcohol abuse as part of campus culture, as opposed to 46% disagreeing with this statement and 24% standing…

The academic model of success in higher education often neglects the role of noncognitive variables, including Emotional Intelligence (EI). As higher education educators turn their attention to learning, scholars are focusing on the role of EI and other noncognitive variables in enhancing learning. Although learning takes place both inside and…

Examines whether viewpoints on a diverse set of contemporary issues differ by racial groups. Results revealed significant differences in viewpoints tested at the point of college entry between racial groups. Although individuals of any given racial category held the full range of opinions, as a group, average viewpoints about certain social,…

Examined environmental factors in college student development in college freshmen (N=148) who were administered the Student Development Task Inventory-2. Related performance on this instrument to several factors in the college environment: residential living arrangements, educational goals, type of financial aid, and social dating habits. Found…

Examined Cooperative Institutional Research Program participants' use of Freshman Survey data and their perceptions of data's effectiveness for institutional processes. Findings from 393 respondents revealed low level of use, possibly attributable to lack of knowledge about how to apply data effectively. Use of data and data's perceived…

The author concludes that according to the present state of the art, orientation programs should be continued. However, additional research is essential. (Author/BY)

Examined values systems of first-year college students and the changes they undergo during the first semester, using two different campus environments. Findings from 104 university and 86 first-year students revealed that student experiences during the first semester and/or influence of campus environment did not significantly alter their values…

Presents a generational view of first-year college students, emphasizing that each group of new students is no better or worse than past one, only different. Focuses on the class of 1996 and provides a year-by-year life history of first-yeat college students who were born in the year 1974. Examines changing first-year views and tracks trends.…

Describes the development of a course on college study skills that was presented to a group of at-risk first-year students at a small, private, liberal arts college. The course was shown to have a positive impact on the majority of those who took it, although students with low motivation for college study were affected less than those with higher…