Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

Adapting To Change: A Mixed Methods Approach To Understand How Colleges And Universities Are Utilizing Animals To Help Students Transition Into Higher Education, Christopher Puglisi, Shalini Mathew, Nicole D. Schutter, Monte Meyerink, Abiah George

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Individuals experience several changes in their lives, with one of the most impactful being leaving home to attend college. It is no surprise that college-age students need mental health support, especially in times of adjustment. To address this adjustment, animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have recently gained substantial attention. In this study, college and university departments that help students transition to higher education were surveyed (N = 59) and interviewed (N = 6) to understand how AAI are utilized. Results indicate that AAI have potential to ease students’ higher education transition, though institutions must establish an outline that states the benefits of …

“I Should’Ve Listened!”: Lived Experiences Of Postsecondary Transitions Among Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders From Non-Traditional High Schools, Kristen De Rose

Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of former students with EBD who attended a non-traditional high school. Eight semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to understand how students experienced emotional and academic supports during high school and throughout the transition into adulthood. Results revealed that participants appreciated attending a non-traditional school for its school connectedness, emotional and instructional supports, and school-based counseling. Additionally, findings suggest the school did not prepare them for the transition to post-secondary life. These findings suggest that emotional and academic support for students with EBD in non-traditional high school settings positively affected students’ sense of success …

Transition From High School, Children's Health School Services

School Guides

Parent guide about the transition from high school.

Transition From High School (Spanish), Children's Health School Services

School Guides

Parent guide about the transition from high school. Translated into Spanish.

Perspectives Of College Students With Disabilities Regarding Their High School Transition Experience: Notes For High School Transition Planning, Lindsay Hartzler, Kitty Dong, Andrew Johnson Kliethermes, Kaitlyn Sandheinrich, Mark Wheatley

Dissertations

Students with disabilities face many challenges as they transition to postsecondary education. These students are often unprepared for the rigor of postsecondary academics; they often lack self-efficacy skills and have limited awareness of postsecondary supports or cannot successfully access them. This study aims to give voice to college students with disabilities to inform practices of high school personnel involved with transition and higher education professionals supporting them. Using Kohler’s Transition Taxonomy 2.0 (2016), researchers sought to study the perspectives of eleven college students on their high school transition experiences in the areas of academic preparedness, self-advocacy skills, and experiences with …

Academic Success In First-Year Engineering Students At Private Higher Education Institutions In Egypt: Key Factors, Wassim Alexan

Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to identify the key factors contributing to the success of first-year engineering students at private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Egypt. It specifically examined how various independent variables influence the success of these students, measured as the dependent variable. By analyzing these relationships, the study seeks to pinpoint key success factors (KSFs) for first year engineering students in this specific educational context. The research work employed a mixed methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative analysis involved collecting data through a survey administered to a sample of first year engineering students at private …

How Peer Mentors Support The Transition Of First-Year College Students, Blair Prevost

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This qualitative, multiple case study examined how peer mentors at a public, four-year university supported the transition of first-year college students. Using Schlossberg’s (Anderson et al., 2021) Transition Framework the study was guided by the following questions: 1) How did peer mentors, in light of the Approaching Transitions phase in Schlossberg’s (Anderson et al., 2021) theory, help first-time students understand their college transition? 2) In what ways did peer mentors directly provide support to first-time students to help first-time students as they transition to college? 3) With what other support resources, whether on or off campus, did peer mentors connect …

Magnetic Hallway Huddles: Attract And Retain High-Quality Professionals, David Wolff, Carissa Gober, Donna Zerr

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

This presentation was conducted for a national conference about mentoring. The authors discussed Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure and Schlossberg’s Model for Analyzing Human Adaptation to Transition as theoretical frameworks to explain the transition and retention of university professors. The focus on the study was the three authors who transitioned to the same university during the 2022-2023 academic year. Authors discussed their experiences of the transition and found themes related to the mentoring process that that acclimated them to the institution and influenced their retention.

Promoting Transfer Student Success Through Comprehensive Orientation Programming At Gvsu, Berkley E. Bretschneider

Masters Projects

Research has shown that transfer students have lower retention and graduation rates than students who stay at the same institution for the duration of their college enrollment. Transfer students are a diverse group of students that face unique challenges when transitioning to a new institution, particularly when coming from a two-year school to a four-year college or university. This project examines common issues experienced in transition and explores best practices to set transfer students up for success at receiving institutions. Focusing on early academic advising, peer mentoring, and exposure to campus resources, this project restructures the current Transfer Advising and …

Autism To Higher Education: Tools For Parents, Amber L. Jordan, Shannon Emery

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Over the years, a marked increase in the number of students with High Functioning Autism (HFA) attending colleges and universities has occurred. This can be attributed to: (a) the passage of legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); (b) revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM); and (c) early intervention and treatment (Pillay, 2012). Although the increase in enrollment may be an indicator that a more welcoming climate for individuals with HFA has been created, many institutions are not adequately prepared to accommodate these students and parents have …

Transitioning To College: Experiences Of Successful First-Generation College Students, Jonathan R. Ricks, Jeffrey M. Warren

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This qualitative study explored the high school to college transition experiences of ten successful first-generation college students (FGCS). Participants were college seniors at an historically black university in the United States. A generic qualitative research design was used, including in-depth, semi-structured interviews to collect and analyze data. Participants reported that the transition experience led to confusion with academic and financial procedures, various emotions including anxiety and fear, the realization that they had deficits in academic skills, and the receipt of support from family members and others. Cultural and social capital appeared to play key roles in their success. Student affairs …

Female Student Service Member’S Experiences With Higher Education And Military Transitions, Sophie Cieslicki

Masters Theses

This study explored the experiences of female student service members when transitioning between military-related and higher education responsibilities as well as their motivations for degree completion and campus resources they utilized. While the number of studies on female student service members is growing, research on this population is scarce. This study utilized a narrative qualitative approach to give female student service members a voice and platform to share their experiences and truths. Participants in this study have served at least one year in the United States Armed Forces and have completed at least one semester of college coursework. Participants were …

Female Student Veteran's Transition To College, Doug Michaels

Masters Theses

This study was focused on learning more about the experiences female student veterans have while transitioning from the military to college as well as what types of resources they utilized during this time. Research on this population is very limited, but the number of relevant studies completed is increasing. A narrative qualitative approach was utilized for this study in order to give this population the platform to tell their stories and for their voices to be heard. There were four participants who have all served at least one year in the military and have completed at least one year of …

Students’ Relationships With First-Year Advisors And The Transition To Faculty Advisors: A Qualitative Study Of Appreciative Advising And Its Effects On College Students., Robert Mclean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated questions that were created to (a) help improve the quality of academic advising within professional advising and faculty advising at a public university in the Midwest as well as (b) provide additional support to the importance of Appreciative Advising in the advising role and in student services. The theoretical framework for this thesis was Appreciative Education also known as Appreciative Inquiry and Appreciative Advising (Bloom, Hutson, He & Konkle, 2013). Student testimonials were gauged through face-to-face, one-on-one interviews to analyze students’ interactions with their professional and faculty academic advisors and to determine which connections with their …

Finding Hope In Chaos: The Development Of A Tool To Identify Key Factors That College Students Use To Effectively Deal With Adversity, Joetta Harlow Kelly

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify techniques that could be developed into a resource for counselors and other professionals who assist college students in dealing effectively with adversity. In a series of four surveys, 200 people were asked to participate. These included professional counselors and ministers both on and off campus, as well as directors in Student Affairs, such as those in student support services and student life. To accomplish this, questionnaires were developed to identify and allow for tabulation of the counseling techniques most commonly used for students dealing with adversity by those working with college students. …

A Whole New World: Students With Disabilities Transition To Postsecondary Education, Warren Whitaker

Dissertations

Since the inception of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, there has been a steady increase in the enrollment of students with disabilities in higher education. With the postsecondary transition in educational supports from the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) in high school to ADA in college, there has been a lack of research related to the experiences of these students with disabilities while they are in college. Considering the changes in disability experience resulting from education policy changes from high school (IDEA) to college (ADA/Section 504), the purpose of this study was to examine the …

Promoting Transition To Postsecondary Education: Creating Opportunities For Social Change, J. Christopher Linscott, Carey Busch

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

Multiple studies document that students with disabilities participate at significantly lower rates than their peers without disabilities in post-secondary education, post-school employment, independent living, and community participation. This article exposits a program model at Ohio University, Gateway to Success, which addresses this inequity through a combined effort of various stakeholders. Particular consideration is given to evidence based predictors related to post-school success, the need for intervention, and the social justice implications of increased participation in post-secondary education for students with disabilities.

International Students’ Transition Experiences In Rural Texas: A Phenomenological Study, Ian Lertora, Richard C. Henriksen Jr., Jesse Starkey, Chi-Sing Li

The Qualitative Report

Due to the growth in the number of international students attending universities in Texas and the need to provide appropriate counseling services to them, nine international students were interviewed about their experiences of transitioning from their home country to college in rural Texas. The authors employed the transcendental phenomenological approach to qualitative research (Moustakas, 1994) which allowed for the following seven emergent themes were identified that described the participants’ experiences: American TV; Knowing Someone; Like a Movie; Everybody Saying Hi; Transportation is Inconvenient; I Miss Noodles; and Being Optimistic. The emergent themes provided the basis for implications and recommendations for …

Where Are Our Students, Developmentally?, Cristi Burrill, Jennifer Nissen

Faculty Creative and Scholarly Works

Overview of student development theory specific to first-year students and helping first year students be successful. Presented at summer 2017 training for all Gateway course instructors.

Exploring Transition Through The Senior Year Experience, Devon B. Corbett

Higher Education Student Work

Senior year is a busy time for most college students as they are preparing for their upcoming transition into adulthood. They are constantly answering the question “What are you doing after graduation?” This results in many college seniors pulling away from their community in order to focus strictly on their major field of study and less on their upcoming transition (Henscheid, 2008). Senior Year Experience programs are a way colleges can provide intentional programming to support college students throughout this transition into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to explore existing Senior Year Experience programs at other institutions with …

Increasing Access To Postsecondary Education For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Amy L. Cook, Laura A. Hayden, Felicia Wilczenski, Timothy A. Poynton

Journal of College Access

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) are increasingly seeking postsecondary education (PSE) opportunities. High school to college transition presents its challenges for all students, and school counselors are uniquely positioned to assist students with ID throughout the PSE process. This article provides a review of the literature on PSE and specifically explores the different types of PSE programming available and strategies high school counselors can employ to effectively assist students with ID in PSE planning.

Exploring The Multiple Dimensions Of Intelligence Identity In High-Achieving Students, Amy A. Holland

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the important elements reported by second-year undergraduates at Midwestern University (MU) as they renegotiated their intelligence identity of being the smart one. The five participants were members of the 2012-2013 first-year cohort of Jumpstart Business Community (JBC). Per inclusion in JBC, the students identified as high-achieving students and/or were classified as accelerated learners in high school. The reconceptualized model of multiple dimensions of identity from Abes, Jones, and McEwen (2007) informed this study in the examination of renegotiation of the intelligence identity.

The main research question of this study was what …

The Four Year Experience: Career Search Self-Efficacy Of New Graduates, Heather Maietta

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Abstract

The author examines the relationship between the degree of participation in a mandatory, credit-bearing, four-year career development program and career search self-efficacy of college graduates using the Career Search Efficacy Scale (CSES). Solberg, Good, & Nord (1994) define career search self-efficacy as an individuals’ efficacy expectations regarding their ability to perform important activities associated with career search and selection. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations, and regression analyses were performed. Results indicated there was a relationship between participation in a career development program and career search self-efficacy. Discussion of findings and recommendations for future research are provided.

Getting Connected...Again: A Phenomenological Study Of Student Experiences Of Transition Within A Shared Model Of Academic Advising, Shane William Barker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Shared models of academic advising that involve the use of both professional and faculty advisors represent the most widely used type of advising structure. Many of these models require students to change advisors once they have satisfied certain criteria, such as earning specific number of credits or declaring a major. Thus, college students across the United States are forming connections with academic advisors during their first few years on campus only to have to repeat the process again with a new advisor. Despite its routine occurrence on college and university campuses across the United States, the issue of mandated advisor …

Perceptions Of High School Counselors Involvement In The Provision Of Postsecondary Transition Services To Students With Specific Learning Disabilities., Diana Joy Hudson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined high school counselors' perceptions of postsecondary transition services to students with specific learning disabilities. Seven high school counselors in the Unnamed County Schools were interviewed to examine their perceptions of postsecondary transition services to students with specific learning disabilities. Categories that involved school counselor's perceptions of the provision of postsecondary transition services for students with learning disabilities emerged from the data. These themes were as follows: 1) plan of study for postsecondary goals based on vocational assessments, 2) assistance provided to prepare for college or work, 3) duties of counselors and involvement in the transition process, …

Applying Schlossberg’S Transition Theory To Nontraditional Male Drop-Outs, Monica S. Powers

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this exploratory and phenomenological study was to investigate how nontraditional males who dropped out of a western four-year, Title IV authorized, public university before completing a bachelor’s degree described their perceptions of their situation, self, support, and strategies while moving in, moving through, and moving out of the college process. Fourteen interviews were conducted in person. Participants met the following criteria: (a) only included males; (b) met four or more nontraditional criteria to be included in the study; (c) were enrolled in an undergraduate degree program; (d) were enrolled within the last two calendar years with the …

Factors Related To Nonacademic Adjustment Of Freshmen Students, Nykela Horne Jackson

Dissertations

Student retention remains a major concern of higher education institutions. With decreasing state funding, higher education institutions have implemented creative strategies and methods to recruit students. Once students are recruited it is critical that they be retained. Research has confirmed that student withdrawals can be attributed to the lack of successful transition and adjustment to the college environment. Numerous studies have focused on how demographic factors (socioeconomic status, race, employment, and parental education level) affect retention with the major focus on academic adjustment. Current research has shown that nonacademic adjustment (social adjustment, personal/emotional adjustment, and institutional attachment) plays a significant …