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A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to understand the transition and integration experiences of first-year freshmen who participated in an outdoor orientation program at 2 higher education institutions in the Southeastern United States. Student attrition from the first year to the second year and increased time to degree completion are challenges for a number of higher education institutions in the United States (Hamilton & Hamilton, 2006; Pascarella, Terenzini, & Wolfle, 1986; Tinto, 2006). First-year to second-year attrition and lack of persistence to degree completion may be due to an unsuccessful transition to college, the inability to integrate into the campus community, or a lack of student involvement (Braxton & McClendon, 2001; Tinto, 2006). The research setting included 2 public higher education institutions that offer outdoor orientation programs for incoming first-year freshmen. The sample was purposefully selected, using 4 criterion: (1) first-year students who had participated in a university sponsored outdoor based program prior to their first year of college, (2) students who had successfully completed their first semester of college and remained enrolled as a student during the data collection term of the research, (3) students meeting the definition of traditional age (18-21 years old) college freshmen, and (4) students willing to participate in data collection. Traditional age first-year students who participated in outdoor orientation programs at 2 institutions during the summer 2015, and who were enrolled in the spring 2016, were eligible research participants. The sample chosen provided information-rich, illuminative detail on the phenomenon of first-year student transition and integration to college. Data collection included the creation of 3 concept maps followed by a semistructured in-depth interview. The highest number of mentioned areas on the research participant concept maps included friends, family, and organizations/clubs. A comprehensive support system, the right environment, and engagement in fun campus activities were found to be cornerstones of successful transition and integration to college. The study provides higher education leaders with insight on the lived experiences of first-year student transition and integration as well as evidence related to the impact of first-year experience programs that may guide and enhance institutional efforts.

This qualitative, narrative study examined the lived experiences of transgender students at four-year institutions in the South. The college transition process and academic and social integration for transgender students was explored through the frameworks of Transition Theory (Schlossberg, 1995), Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 1995; Breslow, Brewster, Velez, Wong, Geiger, & Soderstrom, 2015), and Academic and Social Integration theories (Tinto, 1975; Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendon, 2004). College climates can be challenging for transgender students, especially when campus staff and faculty are not prepared and/or aware of transgender students’ needs (Pryor, 2015). How students perceive their academic and social integration as well as how their integration was influenced by their gender identity was a key component of this study. Through a four-phase data collection process, transgender students had the opportunity to tell, share, and reflect on their experiences as transgender undergraduate students navigating the college transition, academic, and social integration processes. Through data collection and analysis, four categories emerged from participant responses: 1) Navigating Identity, 2) College Transition and Challenges, 3) Environment, Space, and Climate, and 4) Sympathizing with Others. Within each category, several sub-categories were identified as well. Institutions of higher education must recognize the ever-growing presence of transgender students on their campuses. Moreover, institutions have the opportunity and responsibility to create policies, spaces, and opportunities that allow transgender college students to have a supportive academic and social integration process.

This narrative study explores the transition from high school to college for low-income students of color who participated in a college access mentoring program, the College Admissions Project (CAP) while in twelfth-grade. A community cultural wealth (CCW) lens guides this research and is used to examine student experiences. CAP alumni who enrolled in an institution of higher education in the fall semester immediately following their high school graduation are the participants in this study. A narrative approach to inquiry is used because the author is interested in the particular experiences of a few individuals. Specifically, the experiences of low-income students of color from New Orleans as they made the transition from high school to college either in 2015 or 2016. This study has implications for practice in the area of college access programs as well as theoretical applications which extend a CCW framework to additional communities of color beyond Latina/o communities. In the area of practice, supporting positive peer relationships could make college access programs more effective. Student voice is also important to the participants in this study. Students should be part program development and evaluation processes so that programs are designed to best meet their needs as they exist, rather than as adults see them. There is some evidence that a CCW framework is applicable to the experiences of these students. Informational and social capital were most commonly referenced by participants, and efforts to help students further develop these assets would help to support their college transition processes.

The preparation students need to complete college successfully is important to many stakeholders, including students, educators, and the community. Colleges struggle with enrollment and retention while high school teachers and community college instructors focus on the preparation of students to succeed in college. High school teachers and community college instructors are uniquely qualified to inform the determinants of college readiness across the continuum of education. This research study explored the perceptions of high school teachers and college instructors on the skills and behaviors required of students to be successful in college. This qualitative descriptive study was based on the conceptual framework of Conley's 4 keys to college readiness and used interviews from 4 high school teachers and 5 community college instructors to explore the research question. The data were open coded multiple times to construct categories that revealed 3 major themes of college readiness: preparation, engagement, and personal characteristics. High school teachers and college instructors identified similar skills and behaviors displayed by college ready students. The information gleaned from the interviews about college readiness informed the creation of a professional development project to provide college faculty with strategies to facilitate the skills and abilities needed for college success within the context of college courses. This research and project development are a move towards positive social change in improving student success in college. Given the need for college completion and the rising cost of education, the social impact of ongoing work to improve college readiness and college success is imperative for students, colleges, and teachers at all levels.

A state college in the mid-Atlantic United States requires a music theory course for 4 of its undergraduate music programs. In the 6 years prior to this study, students had difficulty with the course, with many failing or withdrawing. Tinto's theory of student retention served as the foundation of the conceptual framework for this study, the purpose of which was to identify challenges to successfully completing the course. This purpose was reflected in the study's driving research question focused on students' experiences regarding challenges to success. In this instrumental case study, 12 students and 2 instructors participated in individual interviews, and 7 students participated in a focus group. Initial coding was used for the 1st-cycle coding phase. Axial coding was used for the 2nd cycle. Seven themes emerged through an iterative categorization protocol: 3 student-related themes, 3 college-related themes, and 1 theme relating to solutions for overcoming challenges to success in Music Theory I. Although data indicated that students experienced diverse challenges to success, the need for additional help was most evident. Thus, a logical project for this study was a music theory lab designed using best practices for course redesign and adult learning found in the literature and developed to support student learning of the concepts presented in Music Theory I. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing an opportunity for students at the college to receive academic support structured to meet their learning needs and improve their performance in Music Theory I, which may prevent students from withdrawing from or failing the course.

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“College Readiness” has been a phrase discussed across higher education and the workforce in most recent years. However, the perception of College Readiness has been debated throughout history as there is not a universal agreement on the philosophy of what it means to be College Ready. In Mississippi, the state has not even defined this phrase so there is not a way to measure the success of College Readiness. Because of this lack of universal philosophy, the purpose of this study is to understand the philosophy of college readiness programs in the state of Mississippi. The research question guiding this study will include: How do different stakeholders assigned to align college readiness programs between P-12 and postsecondary systems understand the philosophy of college readiness? Moreover, what influences the beliefs that shape philosophies about college readiness held by these stakeholders? Leaning on research from Thelin (2004), Conley (2007), and the Ecological Model of College Readiness as designed by Arnold et al. (2012), the literature review synthesizes research on the history of college readiness in American Higher Education, the definitions of College Readiness, and the most widely accepted conceptual framework to explain the factors that influence College Readiness among students. The design of this study included a qualitative comparative analysis and used focus groups to collect data from the perspectives of 16 directors or coordinators who are responsible for organizing or implementing college readiness programs across the state of Mississippi. As a result, the theme from the participant responses supported the consensus that college readiness is a complex and undefined phrase. However, each participant agreed that to be college ready, students need to have more than academic readiness. Instead, students must also have individual characteristics that yearn for a plan after high school. Another conclusion made was that college readiness is influenced by the students’ surroundings including people and politics. While the most current conceptual framework helps identify factors that influence college readiness, it does not precisely identify the relationships among the different layers or help explain when a student becomes college ready. Therefore, additional research should be conducted to determine the stages by which students pass through to become college ready.

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