A Rationale for a Focus on Seniors A Rationale for a Focus on Seniors Research on the senior year experience is limited because it is a topic that has only recently received attention in the higher education community. More has been written about related concepts such as the purposes of higher education, desired outcomes of the undergraduate experience, and student development and transition issues during the college years. Because they are the most likely to graduate, and have already invested the most time and money on our campuses, they may be our most captive audience. As a result, seniors are an extremely important and potentially influential group. As a group they provide a host of research and assessment possibilities including senior satisfaction surveys, alumni perceptions of success and preparation, and employers feedback on the performance of graduates.
Seniors have high expectations.
The implication is very clear that we need to deliver on these expectations. Seniors have special needs unique to them as students in transition. During students' final months as undergraduates they finish required coursework, apply for graduation, and prepare for an unknown future. Whether they are aware of it or not, these students are moving in and through a time of personal transition. When students first arrive at college and again when they leave, changes occur in their lives.