The First-Year Experience in Two-Year Public Postsecondary Programs: Results of a National Survey

A student’s first year at a new college is a critically important period—academically, socio-emotionally, personally, and professionally. Whether transitioning from high school, other postsecondary education, or the labor market, students often need to adjust to a myriad of changes beyond just the new academic environment. In this report, the authors begin with a high-level review of the academic and practitioner literature on first-year supports, with a focus on the two-year sector. Next, they point out the results of a new, national survey of institutions serving two-year students, presenting key trends and lessons learned on the scope of their first-year programming, which we complement with information gathered from interviews with a small subset of those institutions. They also present findings regarding first-year programming targeting specific subgroups of students, including high-achieving, low-income students.