Giving Australian First-in-Family Students a Kick Start to University

Australian university students who are the first in their family to attend university are more likely to encounter challenges in their transition to university, and programs to support students are important for success and retention. Fifteen first-in-family (FiF) students participated in an Austral...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inStudent Success Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 60 - 70
Main Authors Chapin, Laurie A, Oraison, Humberto, Nguyen, Thinh, Osmani, Sera, Keohane, Emily
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Queensland University of Technology 2023
Subjects
Academic Achievement
Academic Persistence
Attendance
Barriers
Commuting Students
Comparative Analysis
Cultural Capital
First Generation College Students
Foreign Countries
Grades (Scholastic)
Learner Engagement
Measures (Individuals)
Orientation
Pilot Projects
School Holding Power
Self Efficacy
Social Capital
Social Support Groups
Student Adjustment
Student Attitudes
Student Characteristics
Study Habits
Australia
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Summary:Australian university students who are the first in their family to attend university are more likely to encounter challenges in their transition to university, and programs to support students are important for success and retention. Fifteen first-in-family (FiF) students participated in an Australian-first pilot orientation program. Program students had better engagement (attendance and study hours) and higher grades compared to a control group. There were no group differences in self-efficacy, program participants had steady social support over time while the control group experienced a decline across semester 1. Qualitative findings indicate that participants felt confident about their transition and did not report academic challenges. They had made connections and felt supported. Commute times were the most common adjustment reported.