Adjustment to University : factors and strategies to support success and retention.

Poor adjustment to University in the first academic year predicts student attrition and low academic results (Gerdes & Mallinckrodt, 1994. Typical markers of maladjustment are loneliness, depression, and poor emotional management (Beyers & Goossens, 2002; Nightingale et al., 2103). Research indicates that this is a significant problem, with a third of UK undergraduates showing stable poor adjustment across the first year (Nightingale et al., 2013). This presentation summarises the findings of two papers that are part of the outcomes of a research project funded by the University of Bolton (UoB) Learning Enhancement Fund 2014-15 which examines factors and strategies to support the transition to the university in first year undergraduates. The presentation will firstly report the findings of an exhaustive literature review conducted to examine factors that contribute to poor adjustment to university and strategies that have been successful in supporting adjustment. Secondly, it will show the initial findings from a series of focus groups which were conducted by the student researchers with UoB volunteer students as well as key UoB student support officers. The preliminary findings of the thematic analysis of the data will be highlighted and implications of the results for devising strategies to support undergraduates with the transition to university which target success and retention will be outlined