This Education Leadership Portfolio (ELP) documents my efforts to enhance the transition experiences of international students at the University of Delaware by optimizing orientation programming. Orientation programming for international students consists of pre-arrival orientation, upon-arrival orientation, and extended orientation, which are…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore how students experience the New Student Orientation Experience (NSOE) and how they perceived it prepared them for their 1st semester of college at a large public university in the United States, Arizona State University (ASU). Institutions of higher education are under pressure to operate more…

As the world changes, institutions of higher education are constantly adopting new business practices in order to ensure future success of their institutions. While enrollment managers are focused on their marketing and recruitment tactics, high school students are being inundated with recruitment materials including invitations to visit campus, a…

This article reviews transition from primary to secondary school over the period from the 1970s to the present day. It first considers the evidence from the earlier period and then at the time of the millennium before reporting on a recent investigation undertaken in four secondary schools. Using the 'five bridges model' of transfer, it compares…

A newly developed measure of the quality of students' involvement in cocurricular activities was used to assess the relationship between quality of involvement and adaptation during the transition to university. Results indicated that the higher the quality of students' involvement, the better their adjustment to university. The relationship…

The landscape of higher education (HE) has dramatically altered in the past 30 years and it continues to evolve and change. More students are entering HE and attending university or college on a global scale than ever before. Supporting and enhancing the undergraduate student experience across the student lifecycle, from first contact through to…

There is increased attention on the first year experience at universities generally as a result of the Australian federal government's focus on increased accountability for universities and widening participation in further education (DEST, 2003; Jardine & Krause, 2005; Kift, 2005; Krause, Hartley, James & McInnes, 2005). However, these…

The purpose of this study was to identify instructional strategies and support services of five learning community programs that focus on the retention of African American students at California Community Colleges. Empirical research indicates that colleges and universities have historically structured their curricula, student services programs,…

The 2010 edition of this monograph addresses many topics (e.g., administration of orientation programs, family involvement, student characteristics and needs, assessment, and orientation for specific student populations and institutional types) that were included in previous editions but approaches them with new information, updated data, and…

This study investigates the experiences of mature students across three higher education institutions in the UK. The issues arising are of relevance to academics who are involved in widening participation and in evaluating support in their own programmes for the diversity of students. The sample includes mature students from programmes in Health,…

The University of Arizona's Precollege Program for academically talented secondary school students, which enrolls qualified students in selected university summer courses, is described. The majority of the students are between their junior and senior year in high school and have a grade point average of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. In addition to…

A study investigated the influence of a precollege seminar for high school seniors on freshmen's anticipatory socialization, grade point averages, persistence, and overall adjustment to college. Results suggest that such a course may be useful in easing the transition to college. Improved college-high school collaboration was a byproduct of the…

A study examined rural Australian student experiences of the transition to high school. Data were gathered from interviews, questionnaires, and student journals of 10 rural students during the last 5 weeks of primary school and during the first three terms of Year 7 in high school. Findings indicate that students had many anxieties related to the…

Students around the globe have unique first-year experiences but struggle with many of the same challenges. This monograph focuses on their journeys and provides insights for educators interested in learning about how institutions across the globe provide supports to students dealing with first-year transition issues. Based on the successful…