Adjusting to the First Year of College: Students' Perceptions of the Importance of Parental, Peer, and Institutional Support

Abstract

The goal of this analysis was to explore students' perceptions of the role of supportive relationships in their adjustment during their first year of college. A total of 22 second-year students, who had a GPA of 2.0 or higher (the university's standard of academic success), reflected on their first year during focus group interviews. Students' narratives revealed that support from parents, peers, and the institution facilitated their adjustment to college. However, these support systems sometimes hindered their adjustment as well. Understanding how the same factors can both help and hinder students as they adjust to college is useful for developing, implementing, and evaluating activities and services aimed at facilitating students' adjustment to their new environment.

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