Original scientific paper
Adjustment to College and the Student Mentoring Programme
Sanja Smojver Ažić
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka
Sandra Antulić
; National Centre for External Evaluation of Education
Abstract
According to recent studies, the transition and adjustment to a higher level of education during the first year of college are influenced by various individual and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to observe the characteristics of first year students who decided to participate in the Student Mentoring Programme, designed to improve adjustment to college, and compare them to students who decided not to participate in the programme. A total of 230 first year students with an average age of 19.02 years participated in the study in which we observed differences regarding their initial adjustment (during the first month of college), personality and motivation. The majority of participants have stated that they enrolled into a college of their choice, expecting a better chance for employment after graduation. The predictors that proved significant in the initial adjustment of freshmen were: perceived competence, motivation for accomplishment, extraversion and agreeableness. This study also revealed that the majority of students who decided to participate in the Student Mentoring Programme are non-resident students, and that students seeking mentoring support had shown a more prominent fear of failure. Other observed variables showed no significant difference regarding the decision to participate in the mentoring programme.
The results of this study reveal some protective factors regarding the process of initial adjustment to college, offering guidelines for further development of mentoring programmes and research.
Keywords
fear of failure; motivation; perceived competence; personality
Hrčak ID:
109283
URI
Publication date:
24.9.2013.
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