Alison Lin

By Jeffrey R. Young

Many changes in behavior and attitudes

Drink More

Study a Little Harder

Spend far Less Time on Volunteer Work and

Exercise

“Your First College Year”

Survey conducted by the Higher

Education Research Institute at the

University of California at Los Angeles

Nearly 25,000 freshmen at 109 four-year

colleges

Given in April of 2002 and during first

week on campus, fall 2002

Adjust well socially to college life

But struggled academically

Freshmen do well in developing close

friendships

84% of freshmen completely or fairly

successful

0 50 100 150 200

0 Hours

1-5 Hours

6-15 Hours

16-20 Hours

>20 Hours

Hours Socializing w/ Friends

The number of freshmen who party more than 6 hours per week rose from 21.4% to 26.5%

0 50 100 150 200 250

0 Hours

1-5 Hours

6-15 Hours

16-20 Hours

>20 Hours

Hours Partying

Percentage of students who drank

frequently or occasionally rose

45.8% at the beginning of the year

58.5% at the end of the year

0 50 100 150 200 250

0 Hours

1-5 Hours

6-15 Hours

16-20 Hours

>20 Hours

Studying or Doing H.W.

Students who felt “frequently overwhelmed”

29.9% to 37.8%

97% thought they had some kind of chance at a B average

Only 77% did

47.9% felt fairly successful or completely successful in getting to know their professors

31% felt intimidated

Volunteer work

From 88.5%

To 62.9%

Talking politically

From 20.5%

To 13.4%

Exercising or playing a sport 6 hours or more

From 53% to 34%

0 50 100 150 200 250

0 Hours

1-5 Hours

6-15 Hours

16-20 Hours

>20 Hours

Exercising

Adjusting socially to college life

X Adjusting academically

Ms. Sax says…

“Student’s self-confidence is declining

academically. The real challenge of the

first year at this point is to help students

adjust academically.”