Improving student outcomes requires better tools for assessing program effectiveness. Student success courses are offered on most college campuses. However, extant research is overwhelmingly summative, of mixed rigor, and focused on four-year colleges, providing limited support for improving practice in community colleges. This study examined…

An optional summer explorientation program for new students at York College, Pennsylvania, is described, and a literature review and York College survey results are presented. The program is designed to orient students to campus life and provide exposure to campus facilities, faculty, administration, and other students. The literature suggests…

The University of Maryland's Summer Orientation Program (1970) was designed to facilitate student's transition from the high school and home environment to the University environment. Separate programs were held for students and parents. Major goals of both programs are presented and include: (1) minimizing new student anxiety, (2) building a…

Incoming freshmen at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington completed evaluations of their two-day orientation. The Orientation Evaluation is administered to freshmen who have chosen to participate in one of three sessions: Summer Orientation, Learning, Advising, and Registration sessions (SOLAR). A total of 166 students completed the…

A study examined goals and assessment techniques of college wilderness orientation programs designed to ease student adjustment to college life and increase retention. Questionnaires returned by 57 directors of wilderness orientation programs indicated that most programs supported prosocial goals such as positive peer-group development, enhanced…

This 59-item annotated bibliography covers suggested reading material published between 1956 and 1991 to assist college faculty and administrators in promoting first year success for college freshmen. The bibliography is divided into seven sections of resource materials. Section 1 contains suggested readings on both objective research on the…

The freshmen orientation programs offered by the colleges and universities that hold membership in the Pittsburgh Council of Higher Education (PCHE) were studied, and recommendations for a comprehensive orientation process were suggested. Interviews with three individuals for each program at nine institutions were sought; attention was directed…

A Memphis State University Program to familiarize prospective students and other college-bound students with academic and service information regarding college attendance is described. The program is designed to ease the transition from high school to college, to identify resources available at the university, to improve the university's public…

Orientation for first-year college students is important for students, parents, and the institution. It should fit institutional traditions, values, and culture, involve parents, be staffed by well-trained current students, and be carefully evaluated for improvement. Mississippi State University's program focuses on retention and is festive,…

The graduate student orientation program conducted at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is described, and supplementary orientation materials are provided. The orientation program incorporates the following thrusts: instructional and research programming, personal and professional development, departmental programming, social interaction, and…

Based on activities at the Trumbull Campus of Kent State University, this guidebook presents suggestions for the implementation and operation of a series of informational workshops designed as a vehicle for the recruitment and orientation of adults who are considering enrolling in college. The guidebook first gives a rationale for the workshops…

This monograph contains 14 papers on all aspects of college and university student and family orientation programs. The papers are: (1) "Orienting Today's Students" by M. Lee Upcraft; (2) "Theoretical Perspectives on Orientation" by Michael Dannells; (3) "Trends and Issues in Orientation Programs" by Gerry Strumpf and…

Programs providing academic support services in colleges and universities and the evaluation of these services are reviewed. Attention is also directed to the need for opportunities in higher education for students with marginal high school academic records, and responses to the need by institutions of higher education. It is suggested that there…

In response to state directives related to the implementation of matriculation mandates, Spring Student Surveys have been conducted at Glendale Community College since 1986. The surveys are designed to: determine the level of student satisfaction with support services; seek evidence of the impact of matriculation funding on support services;…