Support Structures for First-Year Students

Why is the first year of college so important? So much happens that year! Shouldn’t there be a grace period for the newest students to get acclimated to college before the pressure sets in?

The first year of college is the most crucial time in your college life. So much is happening, and it serves to establish your trajectory to success. Consider the following typical first-year experiences, all of which strategically support students during this critical make-or-break period.

Orientation

Most first-year students attend an orientation program, which typically leads to

• students participating in more educationally enriching activities.
• students perceiving the campus environment to be more supportive.
• students having greater developmental gains during their first year of college.
• students being more satisfied with their overall college experience.

First-Year Seminars

First-year seminars may be focused on “orientation to college”; others may be based on your curriculum. Students who participate in these seminars tend to

• be more challenged academically.
• be more active and collaborative in learning activities.
• interact more frequently with faculty.
• think of the campus environment as being more supportive.
• gain more from their first year of college.
• make greater use of campus services.

Advising

The quality of academic advising is the single most powerful predictor of your satisfaction with the campus environment. First-year students who rate their advising as good or excellent

• are more likely to interact with faculty in various ways.
• perceive the institution’s environment to be more supportive.
• are more satisfied with their overall college experience.
• gain more from college in most areas.

Early Warning Systems

Early warning systems are especially important for students who start college with risk factors or who may be struggling academically. Midterm progress reports, course tests and other assessments, and early alert systems are most effective at helping students cope with difficulties in the first year.

Learning Communities

Learning communities are programs that enroll groups of students in a common set of courses. The effects of learning communities are greatest for first-year students. Students report gains in personal and social development, competence, and satisfaction with the undergraduate college experience.

Student Success Initiatives

Student success courses typically address issues like how to use campus support resources, manage time, study well, develop careers and skills, set goals, take tests, and take notes. The College Success course you are in right now is one such initiative.

Remediation

About one-third of first-year students take developmental courses to bring their academic skills up to a level that will enable them to perform well in college. Developmental courses can make the difference in a student’s decision to stay in college or drop out.

Grades and Your First-Year Success

The best advice is to commit to making your freshman year count. Make it the absolute best. The earlier you can establish good habits during this time, the easier your future years will be—not just in college, but in your work environment, at home, and beyond.

• Your freshman year accounts for a significant portion of grades that can be used in getting an internship and that matter to starting your career.
• Top companies can have early recruitment programs that begin identifying prospective students and looking at grades as early as your sophomore year.
• Many top clubs and major-specific honoraries on campus look at your grades in the screening process.
• When you get good grades as a freshman, you tend to keep getting good grades as a sophomore, junior, and senior.
• Instructors tend to give the benefit of the doubt to students who get good grades.

Tips for First-Year Students Embarking on Academic Success

The following is a list of tips from a college educator for college students embarking on their journey to academic success:

• Get the book(s) and read the book(s).
• Take notes in class and when reading for class.
• Know your professors (email, office location, office hours, etc.) and be familiar with what is in the course syllabus.
• Put away your phone during class.
• Emails need a salutation, a body, and a close.
• Don’t write the way you might text— don’t use abbreviations and clipped sentences.
• Never academically advise yourself!
• Apply for scholarships—all of them!
• Set goals and keep your eyes on the prize.
• Enjoy the ride!

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