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Evaluating Students Transition To University

Evaluating Students Transition to University
Submitted by Joel Clough for the University of New South Wales

Gaining further insight on student perceptions of their shift to university study with particular emphasis given to their difficulties involved in this transition.

Joel Clough
8/6/2008



Professor Ralph Hall
The University of New South Wales
School of Social Sciences and International Studies
Ground Level, Morven Brown Building
Sydney, NSW
2052

Dear Professor Hall,
I am pleased to present you with our report evaluating student transition to university. We analyse the major difficulties faced by students and build upon these findings to analyze the effectiveness of existing university programs implemented to ease students’ transition to tertiary study. Please find attached the research report and findings carried out in this study.

Our consultancy specializes in evaluating primary data sources and transcribing them into practical information of use to your particular faculty and university as a whole.

Kind regards,

Joel Clough
Lead Researcher
JC Consultants


Contents
Introduction 4
Background 4
Aims of the Study 6
Research design and methodology 8
Survey of random students 8
Interviews 9
Findings from the Survey 10
Demographics 10
Quantitative Data 10
Transitioning 10
Difficulties 13
Difficulty with motivation 14
Difficulty with expectations 16
Awareness of university services 17
Usage of programs 20
Overall helpfulness of the programs 22
Findings from the Interviews 23
University structure 23
Lack of direction 24
Course structure 24
Personal difficulties 24
Discussion of Findings 26
Conclusions and Recommendations 28
Bibliography 29
Appendix 30
Introduction

Various programs currently operating at the University of New South Wales such as peer mentoring and student counselling have been implemented in order to make the transition to university easier.
Two main areas this study has focused...