Sociology Commons^™

The Expectations And Perceptions Of Incoming Freshmen At Uni, Kristin Michael

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

As colleges and universities have become increasingly competitive in their recruitment and retention of students, they have placed greater emphasis on the quality of the freshman experience. The nature of this experience serves as the focus of this study. This paper draws upon qualitative data about the perceptions and expectations of students beginning their first year of enrollment at the University of Northern Iowa. In doing so, it examines students' expectations and perceptions regarding their (1) prospective academic workload, (2) relationships with faculty, (3) relationships with peers, and ( 4) co-curricular involvements. While this study examines only the University of …