名古屋高等教育研究 第５号 （２００５）

The Transition from High School to University:
An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and
Administration
Carol Mutch＜Abstract＞

The research and theoretical literature recognises the firstyear university or college freshman experience as an identifiable period of transition. In order to make a successful transition from high school to university, students need to maketheir own adjustments and to be supported by the people andsystems around them. Vincent Tinto explains that students
need to negotiate three separate stages: separation, transition
and incorporation. This paper reviews the literature from Western (predominantly English speaking countries) on this transition
phase and analyses the advice that is given to students, institutions and faculty involved in this crucial period of transition.

１．Introduction
The transition from high school to university marks a distinct
step in a student s academic career. The step denotes the movefrom a dependent to independent learner, from studying in a carefully monitored environment with a highly regulated timetable tostudents learning to manage their own time and make decisions
in a more adult and responsible manner.
This paper reviews the literature from Western (predominantly
Professor, Christchurch College of Education
143

English speaking countries) on this transition phase and analyses
the advice that is given to students, faculty and administrators involved in this crucial period of transition. The literature confirms
the significance of student adjustment, especially during the firstyear, but also signals that students need to be supported by faculty and university systems. Faculty need to understand students'prior learning experiences, prepare them for university stylelearning and teaching and help students become part of their subject or discipline s community of learners ．Administrators needto ensure that the university has smooth functioning systems andappropriate student support programmes.
Although university faculty place a high value on academic content knowledge, the literature emphasizes that students will be
more successful if they have the skills to learn independently, tothink critically and adjust confidently to the new expectations. It
is important then, that faculty provide some of this skill development, along with their subject matter teaching, as these skills are
best learned in context and when their purpose can be clearly
demonstrated.

２．The Transition Phase
Transition is different from change. Change is external andvisible. A transition is internal and less visible, the process
you go through mentally when you face a big life change.１）
The research and theoretical literature recognises the first year
university or college freshman experience as an identifiable periodof transition. Vincent Tinto２） draws on anthropological models,viewing this phase as one of the rites of passage to adulthood.
His model explains that students need to negotiate three stages:
separation, transition and incorporation. In order to make a successful transition from high school to university, students need to
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The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

make their own adaptations and to be supported by the people
and systems around them.
Tinto, from Syracuse University in the US, is, in fact, the mostwidely cited writer in the transition literature, especially in relation to research on student retention issues. His 1975 literature review highlighted academic and social integration as the two factors most likely to influence students decisions to continue with
their studies.３） Over the years he has conducted further researchand comes to the following conclusions:
To sum up, students are more likely to persist when theyfind themselves in settings that hold high expectations fortheir learning, provide needed academic and social support,
and actively involve them with other students and faculty inlearning.４）
He elaborates further on the factors that cause students towithdraw from their studies as: academic difficulty (mostly because of insufficient academic skills or poor study habits); adjustment difficulties; goals; uncertainty; commitments; finances; incongruence; and isolation but concludes that, after more than a decade of research in this field, I am persuaded that the roots ofsuccessful student retention lie in better education during the firstyear. ５）
Tinto acknowledges, and indeed commends, the range of innovations in some colleges and universities−he cites summer bridge
programmes, transition programmes, freshmen seminars, collaborative groups, learning communities, frequent feedback, and academic assistance programmes６）−but he still laments:
Despite recent innovations, it remains the case that most students experience university as isolated learners whose learn145

ing is disconnected from that of others. They continue to engage in solo performance and demonstration in what remains
a largely show and tell learning environment. The experienceof learning in higher education is, for most students, still verymuch a spectator sport in which faculty talk dominates andwhere there are few active student participants.７）
University of Glasgow academic, Stephen Draper, considers
there is merit in much of Tinto s work but that there are newtheories worth considering alongside Tinto s original model.８） He
cites work by Braxton, and Thomas, who take notions from
Pierre Bourdieu such as social capital and habitus to expand thenotion of integration.９） From this work Draper proposes that thenotion of integration (how well a student fits the role he/she istaking) has two perspectives−internal and external (that is, how
the student feels in the role and how others see them in thisrole). The role still has two main aspects, as per Tinto,−academic
and social. As Draper explains, the academic is about learning,
and the activities necessary for that. The social is about the fit
with the groups that the student cares about, both inside and outside the university .１０）
Draper emphasises that there are a range of complicating factors such as the match between goals, the methods of achieving
these and the manner of assessing their success and that each ofthese has an intrinsic and extrinsic dimension. Overall, he feels,
however, his adaptation of Tinto s 1975 model remains true to thespirit of the original and claims, the metaphor of integration isabout fit; it is not about one party adapting to the other but
whether they go together well. １１） This implies that it is not only
the students who need to make adjustments but also faculty anduniversity administrative systems.
In their review of the literature, US academics Bette Eriksen
and Diane Strommer highlight the importance of the following is146

The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

sues: the nature of students and the learning culture they havecome from; student expectations and aspirations; adaptations students need to make; and the role of faculty in supporting thetransition. In understanding the nature of this transition time, theysuggest, we must first understand where the students have comefrom, that is the culture of the high school and the nature of secondary education.１２） As they explain:
To know how to teach them better, we must understand ourfreshmen better. We must have a clear eyed view of whothey are, where they have come from, how they have been
instructed, what values they hold, and what their expectations
or goals are.１３）
Eriksen and Strommer argue that, in the US, freshmen are lessengaged and more difficult to reach than their predecessors. The
reasons are varied: changing social patterns (including family
structures); students spending more time in leisure pursuits(especially watching television); lower academic expectations at highschool; and more students engaged in part time employment.
They also state that the culture of high schools does not encourage students to manage their own time:
Time, high school style, does not seem to have changed verymuch over the years. Class days are still controlled by periods, begun and ended by ringing bells, with brief respites forstudy hall, phys. ed., and lunch. New freshmen, used to having every minute of their days controlled, feel very anxious
when confronted by the relative freedom of college life.１４）
Eriksen and Strommer suggest that the goals, expectations, values and attitudes of freshmen differ markedly from those of theirparents generation but that they have two main objectives−toachieve academically and succeed socially. Their overarching goal,
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Eriksen and Strommer claim, is that students want preparation
for careers and they want assistance in helping them learn whatever is needed so they can make it as successful adults in what
they persist in calling the real world . １５） Eriksen and Strommer
cite research by Ruddock and Wilkinson that claims that thegreater the discrepancy between their expectations and the reality
they encounter the more stress students experience.１６） It is important that this is understood by the institutions that students arecoming from, and those they are going to. This leads us to ask
the questions, What is the role of high schools in preparing students for university study? and What more can universities doto help students achieve their goals?
According to Eriksen and Strommer, the adaptations students
need to make to be successful in the transition phase are: adapting to change; becoming familiar with new ways of teaching andlearning; accepting differing classroom norms; managing time; andintegrating socially. Eriksen and Strommer also stress that students will not achieve a successful transition on their own but require the support of knowledgeable and caring faculty:
If we understand students critical need to find a niche socially and to experience early academic success and if we areaware of the difficulty the college environment can pose forfreshmen, especially women, minority, and adult students, weare better able to become sensitive to student needs and concerned for their academic success. Faculty who understandwhat freshmen are going through are, in short, in the best
position to put those events into a larger context and to help
students focus on the academic aspects of their freshmen experience.１７）
Another review of the literature by Glenda Crosling andGraeme Webb from Monash University, Australia, considers that
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students in the transition phase need support with three major
aspects: social, structural and academic.１８）
Crosling and Webb explain that life has become even more
complex since the 1990s and the massification of higher education
has increased the both the number and diversity of students seeking higher education. They list the range of non traditional students that now attend institutes of higher learning as:
adults over the age of 25;part time students;
women (particularly in non traditional areas);
students from rural backgrounds;
students from ethnic and minority groups for whom thelanguage of instruction is not their first language;international students;
students with disabilities;
students who are first generation in higher education.１９）
Crosling and Webb agree with Eriksen and Strommer about thetransition phase being a difficult one and state, Cutting across thedifferent groups, it is now recognised that academic culture andits expectations and assumptions differ from those of secondary
education and that all new students need to make what may be
an uneasy transition .２０） Crosling and Webb summarise the literature they reviewed as follows:
The literature suggests that the period of transition to higher
education study is problematic for many students regardlessof their background. At this time students should be encouraged and assisted to make friends with other students so thatthey belong to their institution, faculty and/or department.
They also need to become familiar with institutional structures and procedures, and teaching and learning processes, especially appreciating the independence expected of them in149their own study. In this period, to encourage them to persist
with their studies, students need to be motivated to perceive
a purpose for their studies and have some awareness of theacademic standards of their discipline.２１）
Craig McInnis, Richard James and Robyn Hartley from the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne surveyed first year university students in Australia in
1999 and compared the results to a similar study conducted in
1994. They found that overall 63% of students are satisfied with
their initial university experience and that:students reasons for coming to university remained stable(that is, an intrinsic interest in the subject area combinedwith a desire to improve job prospects);
some students continue to have difficult transitions to university (related to inaccurate information and expectations,inappropriate course selection, and underestimating study
requirements and time);
two thirds of students direct from high school felt unprepared for university study but overall more students
found university study more fulfilling than school work(61%);
satisfaction and motivation levels had decreased slightly
over the years; andthere was a 9% increase in full time students with parttime jobs and a 14% increase in hours of employment.２２）
The themes to come through clearly in this brief examination of
the literature are:
Beginning university or college, whether the student iscoming from school or other situations, is a recognised
period of transition requiring separation from the previous
setting and lifestyle, and incorporation into, and identification with, the new environment and its unique culture.
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Better preparation for the transition and continuing support
are needed if students are to proceed smoothly throughthis phase.
Students need to make a range of adaptations to fit in socially and academically.
Students need to adjust their modes of learning andstudy, paying special attention to working independently
and managing their time effectively.
As more students combine part time work with theirstudies this leads to different time and commitment pressures.
Faculty need to understand the nature of the transition
phase, to have some knowledge of the learning culture
students have come from, to find out what their expectations and aspirations are, and to be sensitive to supporting them through this phase by providing accurate information, enculturation into the discipline, and guidance regarding university level teaching, learning and study.
Institutions need to hold high expectations for all students
but also be aware of the particular needs of this groupand provide support for their uniqueness and also for theincreasing diversity of students within this group, especially during the first year.

３．Advice for Students in the Transition Phase
With the research literature in mind it is now interesting toturn to the wealth of advice available to students regarding thistransition phase in their lives. The author of this paper undertook
an analysis of 300 Internet sites２３） offering advice to new university or college students. The largest category was the advice provided by faculty−professors, deans, lecturers, advisors, counselors−usually as part of an orientation package on an authorised university website. The advice ranged across the spectrum from151

planning a course of study, getting know your way around campus and keeping a balanced lifestyle, to a range of study tips.
This advice will be summarized to put the main focus of the paper−that of advice to faculty and institutions−into context.
３．
１ Advice from Faculty to New Students

The top twenty tips for new students are displayed below inTable1.
Table1: The Top Twenty Pieces of Advice from Faculty to New University Students
Order

Advice12345Plan and manage your time
Get involved and feel included
Get to know faculty, advisors, career counselors
Develop good study habits
Learn the prerequisites, regulations, requirements andexpectations for your course of study
Know your way around campus and use its facilities
Look after your health and balance your lifestyle
Be prepared
Don t be afraid to ask for help
Organise a study group
Have a positive attitude
Create a purposeful study environment
Go to class
Take time to socialise (but don’t overdo it)
Participate actively in class
Organise finances, set up and keep to a budget
Set personal and academic goals
Be prepared for life to be different
Be an active listener
Schedule yourself breaks and find ways to reward
yourself when you have achieved a goal

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Percentage of sites
mentioning advice
95
72
68
68
53
38
33
32
30
27
25
23
23
20
20
20
15
15
13
13

The advice can be grouped under six headings: time management; important things to know; study habits; involvement; collegiality; and life skills.
In the transition from high school to university or college the152The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

ability to manage time was considered a high priority by faculty.
Most advice suggested students construct different kinds of schedules. There should be a long term overview, a weekly planner anda daily schedule. It was also mentioned that a student needs torealise that the time between, before and after classes is much
more important than at high school and needs to be used more
effectively.
Faculty referred to the important things a student must findout about. High on the list of advice was to know all the relevant
rules and regulations such the university s code of conduct. Theysuggested students read their institution's regulations regarding
enrolment, withdrawal dates, course or major pre requisites, rules
about plagiarism, graduation requirements and so on. Next, a student should know the syllabus for each of their courses with its
attendance requirements, assigned readings, assessment tasks anddue dates. Students should become familiar with their assigned
texts. Knowledge of the campus and its facilities was also important.
Faculty recommended that students should use the opportunity
at university or college to get involved . Students should makethe most of the orientation events to get to know their way
around the campus, to understand the particular philosophy, expectations and regulations of the university, to meet some of thefaculty (both academic and support staff) and to get to know
other students. By attending university and taking a major, students are entering an academic community and a particular field.
It was suggested that students should become part of their discipline s community of learners by attending events sponsored bytheir department or school.
Getting to know faculty was seen as important not just for
helping with study but with showing their commitment to their153

studies, gaining a sense of belonging and setting up future networks and contacts. Getting to know other students was anotherkey suggestion. These people would not just be friends for the social aspects of university life but could be study partners or support networks when stressful situations arose.
There is a wealth of advice related to student study habits.２４）
The aspects discussed here are preparation, organisation, participation, note taking and study time.
Being adequately prepared started from the time students received the first communications from their institutions. It was considered important for students to read this documentation carefully, organise the relevant materials ahead of time and check out
the textbooks. Once at university, preparation included making
good use of the student s schedule or planner to review important
lecture notes, pre view new topics, complete homework tasks andassemble materials for the next week s/day s classes.
Finding a way to organise notes and handouts is a high priority
if students are to effectively manage their time and be able to retrieve information quickly.
Under participation, the strongest message was to stress to students the importance of going to class, not just for the content
gained but also to get updated information on course or datechanges, to demonstrate an interest in and commitment to thesubject, and to become part of the learning community. Alongwith going to class was the importance of punctuality, attentive
listening and active participation. Learning how to take clear concise notes, whether in lectures or during independent study is askill that students needed to practice.
Outside class up to two hours study per hour spent in class is154

The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

expected. The most effective use of study time also requires thestudents to understand their preferred learning style and themost effective method of study for them. Allied to this is setting
up a suitable study environment. Finding a quiet space that is
physically conducive to study in terms of light, temperature, noise
and access to materials is important. It should also be free frominterruptions. Faculty suggested students form study groups
where students have common subject interests and build up a climate of mutual trust and support. These could serve two functions−academic and social.
The advice given relating to life skills fell into several categories: adjusting to change; making and accepting responsibility for
one s own decisions; managing finances; maintaining a healthy life
style; managing stress; and keeping a positive frame of mind.
Many advice givers focused on the new found responsibilities thatgo hand in hand with the new freedoms. Students would face
many choices and would need to develop strategies to make sensible and safe decisions.
３．
２ Advice for Faculty Working with New Students

An important point emphasised by the advice givers was thatwhile students could develop good study habits and become independent learners, there were also ways in which faculty could improve their teaching or knowledge of adult learning principles toenhance student learning.
The most commonly cited advice for improving teaching wasthat compiled by Joyce T. Povlacs (1998) from the Teaching and
Learning Centre, University of Nebraska Lincoln. The advice is titled 101 things you can do in the first three weeks of class. ２５）
These tips are given under the following headings: helping students make transitions; directing students attention; challenging
students; providing support; encouraging active learning; building155

community; and getting feedback on teaching. Below is a selectionof tips that if used by teachers would support the advice given to
students in earlier sections.
Show students how to handle learning in large classes
and impersonal situations.
Elicit student questions and concerns at the beginning ofclass and list these on the chalkboard to be answered
during the hour.
Have students write out their expectations for the course
and their own goals for learning.
Let students see the enthusiasm you have for your subject and your love of learning.
Tell students how much time they will need to study forthis course.
Hand out study questions or study guides.
Allow students to demonstrate progress in learning witha summary quiz of the day s work or a written reaction
to the day s material.
Help students form study groups to operate outside theclassroom.
Give plenty of opportunity to practice before a major test.
Jefferson Community College２６） has a similar list of 63 ideas under the headings: faculty student interaction, general classroom
management, student initiated activities and faculty initiated activities. Some of their suggestions include:
Have students set specific goals for themselves throughout the semester in terms of their learning and what responsibilities they will undertake.
List and discuss your objectives on the first day. Let students know how your course can fit with their personal /career goals.
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The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

Circulate around the class as you talk or ask questions.
Return tests, quizzes, and papers as soon as possible.
Conduct a personal interview with all students at sometime during the semester.
Confer with other faculty members who have the same
students in class. Help reinforce one another.
A site compiled by Lee Haugen２７）at the Centre for Excellencein Learning and Teaching at Iowa State University has an annotated bibliography of the student development literature as it relates to 18−25 year olds. Citing Chikering２８） Haugen explains thatthe developmental stages of freshmen include developing competence, managing emotions and developing autonomy. Citing intellectual development theories, Haugen uses a table devised by
Widick, Knefelkamp and Parker２９） that sets out what can be expected of students, such as freshmen, at earlier stages of development. These include the notions that they can only cope with twoor three different points of view on one topic, that they needstructured processes, that they need experiential opportunities andthat they will be analytical rather than abstract in their reasoning. Further reading on this topic would ensure that faculty adjust to the stages of their students and ensure the transition time
is a positive experience.
To help faculty understand their students better, Reed Mencke
from the University Learning Centre at the University of Arizona
has summarised the relevant literature on freshman study skills
and compared it to the Freshmen Survey data from his university.３０） He lists the crucial skills that students are lacking as follows: time management; learning in a large lecture situation; reading challenging lengthy assignments in college textbooks; preparing for and taking college level examinations; and thinking critically about what they are learning. Important research, and theimplications for faculty if they are to help their students, as sug157

gested by Mencke, is reported below:
Research suggests that good study habits (Bliss, 1993) andone s level of the mastery of the art of short term time
management (Briton and Tesser, 1991) is predictive of
GPA (Grade Point Average). Few students are used tooperating on a self imposed time schedule or to using theshort term time management skills Britton and Tessor
found to be related to success.
Research shows that, at best, learning is challenging in alarge lecture session. One frequently quoted study... foundthat students got only 41% of lecture material into theirnotes during the first 15 minutes of class... and less yet(20%) during 45 minutes. Many students arrive at college
passive learners. Most do not know how to take an excellent set of notes.
About 2/3 of freshmen seen by the University Learning
Centre staff... report having no experience at all with avoluminous textbook... Most college students (about 75 percent) know and use only one text reading strategy:
namely underlining... despite the fact that the research byPeterson (1992) showed that underlining... may actually interfere with comprehension and retention of material.
The most used exam preparation strategy... is cramming.
Few freshmen have developed an organized method ofstudy and review.
Attempts to get freshmen to approach problems with anattitude of open scientific inquiry are likely to produce resistance. To make matters worse the learning style of the
majority of college learners is passive and grade oriented
rather than learning oriented .
Mencke concludes, Currently, little occurs to help freshmen acquire the above cognitive skills. We seldom show freshmen how
to think out what is important in a text, or provide tips about
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The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

how to organize complex material into meaningful schematics ormaps.
In answer to such concerns, Lee Haugen３１） has prepared material for faculty on creating and using a learner centred syllabus.
He explains the concept as follows:
The concept is simple but its implications are far reaching:
students and their ability to learn are at the centre of what
we do. This means that we focus on the process of learning
rather than the content, that the content and the teacher
must adapt to the students rather than expecting the students to adapt to the content, that responsibility is placed on
students to learn rather than professors to teach.
Haugen advises faculty to first spend some time in thoughtful
preparation in which they think and talk to their colleagues about
why, what, who and how they teach. Faculty then need to consider the developmental stage of their students and progress froma primarily instructor led approach to a student initiated approachin which the aim is to produce independent learners and criticalthinkers. Haugen continues to give specific advice on how to construct, use and evaluate a learner centred syllabus and ends withadvice on improving teaching. He suggests that teachers use a variety of methods, promote active learning, allow for group discussion, provide problem solving opportunities and get to know andadvocate for their students.
Tinto３２） advocates learning communities as a way of strengthening students' social and cognitive development during their firstyear. Learning communities are formed by linking students taking
similar courses, or by linking courses with complementary content
and facilitating smaller group learning opportunities and discussion
alongside the lecture schedule. The aim is to make the learning159

more holistic and the progression more coherent. It also provides
opportunities for developing skills of deep learning and criticalthinking. As Tinto explains:
Nearly all the experiments [in learning communities] have twothings in common though. One is shared learning . Learning
communities enrol the same students in several classes sothey get to know each other quickly and fairly intimately andin a way that is part of their academic experience. The otheris connected learning. By organizing the shared courses arounda single theme or large single subject, learning communities
seek to construct a coherent first year educational experiencethat is not just an unconnected array of courses...３３）
Numerous other sites offer useful advice and support for faculty.
The Centre for Teaching at the University of Massachusetts Amherst３４） offers the Ten best articles on teaching and learning ,The Teaching and Learning Centre at Eastern Kentucky University３５） offers a vast array of tips and links relating to teaching,course preparation and adult learning. The National Teaching and
Learning Forum site３６） offers an annotated bibliography, and insome cases, full text versions of articles containing teaching advice.
Both the research literature and the advice available from faculty for faculty suggests the importance of interactive teaching
methods, sound curriculum design and student skill development.
If this advice is used in a manner that promotes and facilitateslearning, the transition experience for students will be more positive and the teaching experience for faculty more rewarding.
３．
３ Advice for University Administration

Because of the importance of students first impressions and experiences, students need to encounter positive and helpful adminis160

The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

trative systems. Studies in the United States highlight one of themost significant causes of student dissatisfaction as getting theservice run around. ３７） The service run around is where student
administrative problems are not dealt with promptly or appropriately, students are given inaccurate information or advice and, atworst, their concerns are ignored. The Noel Levitz research claims
that, while the service run around sounds like a single problem, it
isn t. It s a symptom of several problems３８） and their research report outlines these:
Staff may lack knowledge of campus systems, policies,
and procedures.
Staff may be too busy to help.
Staff may not take responsibility for customer problems.
Staff may have poor access to information from other offices.
The institution may have fragmented processes without
concern for how students and other customers use them.
Staff may not be empowered to seek solutions.
Other studies highlight concerns about the quality of academic
advising and the mismatch between student expectations and institutional values.４０） In Australia, the study of the first year experience４１） highlighted the concern over lack of accurate initial information, which led to poor course choices and unrealistic expectations. These studies indicate the need for the following:
more accurate pre entry publicity available from universities;
better links with high schools;
more flexibility to change a course of study if it does not
suit;
pre entry study preparation seminars and on going study
support;coherent university wide planning; andimproved staff training, especially where giving advice isconcerned.
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Low４２） offers this six step approach for institutions wishing to
improve aspects of their performance and this could easily apply
to enhancing the transition process:１．Assess readiness: This begins with a shared understanding of common goals among key campus constituents whoare speaking with one voice.
２．Set goals: Carefully examine all sources of data as wellas input from faculty, staff, students and administrators.
３．Integrate strategies: It is far better to begin by focusing
on existing programs and services as the delivery vehicles for any new initiatives. In other words, build on yourcurrent successes.
４．Develop evaluation strategies: For each strategy identified, the campus unit responsible must identify appropriate measures to demonstrate the effectiveness and theimpact of the strategy.
５．Establish reasonable timelines: Realistic timelines and theavailability of resources must be considered.
６．Recognise, reward and celebrate success: The most successful institutions are steeped in long and time honored
traditions of celebration that signal the accomplishmentsof their campuses.

４．Discussion
There is remarkable coherence between the academic literatureand research on the transition to university study and the anecdotal advice given by other university faculty on the Internet tohelp students, faculty and institutions negotiate this phase.
The analysis of 300 websites supported the themes from the literature. The first, or freshman, year was seen as being a distinct
period of time with its own characteristics. The wealth of advice
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The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

confirmed the need for social and academic support. The sites
recognised and articulated the many adjustments students needed
to make and suggested how faculty and institutions might support
this transition period.
The synthesis of advice highlighted the ways incoming students
could make adjustments to their new environment. The highest
priority was given to learning to manage time effectively. Becoming involved in campus life and getting to know faculty and fellow students was also important. Gaining familiarity with the campus and its services, the university s regulations, academic expectations and course requirements were also important. Making decisions on all aspects of life including health, safety, employment, finances, relationships and careers was an important part of developing independence and responsibility. A final key focus was on
gaining a range of important study skills to make the most ofclasses, textbooks, individual and group study, and examinations.
The literature review suggested that faculty had a role to playin supporting students through the transition phase. The web
sites advised faculty to become familiar with the relevant theoretical literature to help them understand the developmental andmaturational stages of their students. They were also advised toadjust their teaching strategies to explicitly teach important skills,
and to build a sense of community.
Although the most advice (in terms of volume) was around specific study skills it is important that this advice is taken in context with the findings from this research, prior research and thetheoretical literature. Improving study skills will not solve all student learning problems, it will only that enhance the academic
progress that comes with the successful integration into the newenvironment. It is important that skills are introduced in context,that is, when they are needed and in relation to relevant content.
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Students also need to be assisted to transfer skills from one setting to another and to understand the differences in conventions
between various disciplines.
In order to move from separation, through transition to incorporation as outlined by Tinto,４３） this study has shown, through asynthesis of the literature and an analysis of the advice offered,that transition is not a passive state. For a successful transition it
must be an active and interactive time in which all personnel involved play a role and for which they accept their share of responsibility. Students should do their part by making adjustments
to the new environment. Faculty and administrators should beaware of the characteristics of students in this phase and consider
how administrative systems, pedagogical practices and support
mechanisms (both academic and social) could be enhanced.

Notes１）http://students.reg.sfu.ca/makingthegrade/headout2.html, p. 1.
２）Tinto, V. (1988) Stages of Student Departure. Journal of Higher

Education 59 (4), 438 453.
３）Tinto, V. (1975) Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical
Synthesis of Recent Research Review of Educational Research 45 89
123.
４）Tinto, V. (2002) Promoting Student Retention: Lessons Learned
from the United States Paper presented at the 11th Annual Conference of the European Access Network, Prato, Italy. June 19, p. 4.
５）Tinto, V. (2004a) Rethinking the First Year of College retrieved
from http://soeweb.syr.edu/Faculty/Vtinto, p. 4.
６）Tinto, 2002.
７）Tinto, V. (2004b) Learning Better Together: The Impact of Learning Communities on Student Success retrieved from http://soeweb.
syr.edu/Faculty/Vtinto, p. 1.
８）Draper, S. (2003) Tinto s Model of Student Retention retrieved
from http://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/〜steve/localed/tinto.html
164

The Transition from High School to University: An Analysis of Advice for Students, Faculty and Administration

９）See, for example, Braxton, J. M. (2002) Reworking the student departure puzzle . Vanderbilt University Press; Thomas (2002) Student

Retention in Higher Education: The Role of Institutional Habitus .
Journal of Educational Policy 17 (4) 423 432; and Bourdieu P. & Passeron, J. (1977) Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture . London: Sage.
１０）Draper, 2003, p. 5.
１１）Draper, 2003, p. 12.
１２）Eriksen, B. and Strommer, D. (1991) Teaching College Freshmen .
San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
１３）Eriksen and Strommer, 1991, p. 4.
１４）Eriksen and Strommer, 1991, pp. 13 14.
１５）Eriksen and Strommer, 1991, p. 19.
１６）Ruddock, M. and Wilkinson, C. (1983) Retention What happens during the Freshman Year? Paper presented at the 23rd Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Toronto, Canada.
May.
１７）Eriksen and Strommer, 1991, p. 45.
１８）Crosling, G and Webb, G. (2002) Supporting Student Learning . London: Kogan Page.
１９）Crosling and Webb, 2002, p. 2.
２０）Crosling and Webb, 2002, p. 3.
２１）Crosling and Webb, 2002, p. 6.
２２）McInnis, C., James, R., and Hartley, R. (2000) Trends in the FirstYear Experience in Australian Universities . Canberra: Department of
Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
２３）The sites were found by using the search engine Google andsearch terms such as: transition to university, tips for freshmen, firstyear university, new undergraduate students, study tips for students,
freshers, and combinations of these. These terms found sites in the
US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and one site in Fiji. Fromthese sites, 300 were selected that focused primarily on providing advice to students entering university study for the first time.
２４）Some selected sites are listed below:
http://venus.atlantic.edu/〜capc2002/keys.htm
http://web.grcc.edu/biosci/studyski/forbstud.html
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html
http://www.dushkin.com/online/study/studymain.mhtml
165http://www.ccis.edu/departments/writingcentre/studyskills.html
http://www.wou.edu/provost/aalc/learning/studyskills.html
http://www.adprima.com/studyout.htm
http://www.uni.edu/walsh/linda7.html
２５）A full set can be retrieved fromhttp : / / www . honolulu . hawaii . edu / intranet / committees / FacDevCom /guidebk/teachtip/101thing.htm
２６）Jefferson Community College. Ideas to encourage student retention.
Retrieved fromhttp : / / www . honolulu . hawaii . edu / intranet / committees / FacDevCom /guidebk/teachtip/studretn.htm
２７）Haugen, L. (1998a) http://www.celt.iastate.edu/tips/studdev.html
２８）Chikering, A. W. (1969) Education and Identity. San Francisco: JosseyBass.
２９）Widick, C. Knefelkamp, L. L., and Parker, C. A. (1975) The counselor as
a developmental instructor Counselor Education and Supervision , 14,
pp. 286 296.
３０）Mencke, R. http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/casto/what̲freshmen.htm,
pp. 1 2.
３１）Haugen, L. (1998b) http://www.celt.iastate.edu/tips/syllabi.html, p. 1.
３２）Tinto, V. (2002; 2004a)３３）Tinto, 2004a, pp. 5 6.
３４）http://www.umass.edu/cft/resources/ten̲best̲articles.htm
３５）http://www.tlc.eku.edu/tips.htm
３６）http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/bib.htm
３７）Noel Levitz (2003). How students rate the quality service climate on
campuses. Retrieved from http://www.noellevitz.com/
３８）Noel Levitz (2003, p. 4).
３９）Low, L. (2000a). Are college students satisfied? A national analysisof changing expectations . Noel Levitz Inc.
４０）McInnis, C., James, R., and Hartley, R. (2000).
４１）Low, L. (2000b). 6steps to successful retention planning. http://www.
noellevitz.com/
４２）Tinto, V. (1988).

166