Making the Move
A program for helping high school seniors
make a successful transition to college
Amy Feins
Seacrest Country Day School, Naples FL
•“S
tudents can easily slip through the cracks
during the transition from high school to college,
overwhelmed and unable to adapt to new
surrounding….What students do during the initial year
can impact the rest of their college career. We must
recognize the transitional and intellectual barriers
students face and utilize orientation programs to create a
structured introduction to college that encourage
freshmen to succeed.”
•
--Feldman and Zimbler/U
Mass/McGraw-Hill Foundation
Why have a
transition program?
• Transition programs are a relatively new concept.
• Many campuses have transition programs, but they are
not mandatory.
• Our goal: to prepare all our students for college before
they leave high school.
By The Numb3rs
• 62.8% of HS seniors heading off to college. Of that
percentage, only 72% return for sophomore year.
• The low retention rate is not because students can’t do
the work; it’s because students lack simple skills
including:
– time management
– test-taking strategies
– Engaging socially with instructors or peers.
Where WE Come In
• We customize our transition program to address the
challenges our alumni face in college.
• Seacrest alumni have reported the following challenges
from their freshman year:
– Amount of reading
– Time management
– Getting along with roommates
– Figuring out Greek Life
– Declaring majors too early (especially Pre-Med)
The Timeline
Class of 2012
A full day spent both onand off-campus in a
“scavenger hunt”
format.
Class of 2011
One day program with
guest speakers
Class of 2013
A full quarter of college prep in
our seminar class, which
concludes one full year of
college counseling that began
the winter of junior year.
The Six-Week Plan
• Focus on one topic per week. Topics include:
– Strategically scheduling classes
– Planning budgets
– Managing time
– The ins and outs of banking
– Social involvement
– Home economics skills
Week 1: What’s Your Major?
• The purpose: Learn to strategically schedule classes
• Students select a major and determine a four-year
course of study at their chosen institution.
• Show all core/distribution requirements, as well as
requirements for their majors.
• Students must also fit in study abroad, internships, and
capstone projects if necessary.
General Education Requirements:
English - 2 courses
ENG 102 - Seminar
ENG 203 - Survey of American Lit
Fine Arts - 1 course
THEA 303 - Directing
(THEA/ENG 376 - Playwriting)
Foreign Language - 1 course
SPAN 200 - Communication and Culture
Humanities 101 - 1 course
HUM 101 - Humanities
Science - 2 courses (1 Life Science, 1 Physical Science)
ENVS 150 - Introduction to Earth Science
PSY 104 - Introductory Psychology
History - 1 course
HIST 101 - History of Early Civilization
Philosophy - 1 course
PHIL 220 - Philosophy and Film
Religion - 1 course
REL 201 - Old Testament
Cultures & Peoples - 1 course
PHIL 335 - Buddhism
Mathematics - 1 course
MATH 120 - Appreciation of Mathematics
Physical Education - 2 courses
PHED 102- Fitness
PHED 103 - Tennis
FALL
SPRING
1. Humanities 101 (Gen Ed)
2. Spanish 200: Culture/Commun. (Gen Ed)
3. Phys. Ed.102: General Fitness (Gen Ed)
4. English 203: American Lit (Gen Ed)
5. Art 245: Intro to Studio Art
1. Psych 104: Intro. Psychology (Gen Ed)
2. Phys. Ed. 103: Tennis (Gen Ed)
3. English 341: Literary Theory (Major)
4. English 371: Short Story (Major)
5. Art 251: Drawing
1. Religion 201: Old Testament (Gen Ed)
2. English 323: Southern Literature (Major)
3. English 372: Adv. Short Story (Major)
4. Physics 108: Astronomy
5. Art 252: Painting
1. Env. Sci. 150: Intro to Earth (Gen Ed)
2. Philosophy 220: Film (Gen Ed; Minor)
3. English 304: Renaissance (Major)
4. Religion 202: New Testament
5. Art 255: Digital Photography
1. Theatre 303: Directing (Gen Ed)
2. History 101: Early Western Civ (Gen Ed)
3. Philos. 335: Buddhism (Gen Ed; Minor)
4. English 376: Playwriting (Major)
5. Philosophy 205: Phil. of Food (Minor)
1. English 333: The Modern Novel (Major)
2. Philos. 345: Phil. of Language (Minor)
3. English 377: Adv. Playwriting
4. Accounting 211: Accounting Principles
5. Theatre 300: Theatre Production
1. English 378: Novella (Major)
2. English 384: Mass Media (Major)
3. Philosophy 321: Symbol Logic (Minor)
4. Finance 210: Personal Finance
5. Religion 241: Newer Religions
1. English 331: Early Eng. Novel (Major)
2. Philosophy 304: Literature (Minor)
3. English 386: Editing and Publishing
4. English 379: Screenwriting
5. Phys. Ed. 110: Kayaking
Week 2: It Costs HOW Much?
• The purpose: Learn to plan a budget
• Students determine the total cost of attendance for
their college, including room and board, books, travel,
and incidental expenses.
• Students figure out how to budget an allowance.
• Students fit a job into their schedule.
Week 3: What Time/Day /Week
Is It?
• The purpose: Hone time management skills
• Students make a schedule outlining their hypothetical
class time, work time, study time, play time, sleep
time, etc. in a typical week.
• Students plan out a time schedule to follow for a 15
page term paper due halfway through the semester.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
9 am
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast
10 am
English 341
Art 251(until
11:30)
English 341
Art 251(until
11:30)
English 341
Work in
Library
Work in
Library
11 am
12 pm
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Work in
Library
1 pm
Psych 104
English 371
(until 2:30)
Psych 104
English 371
(until 2:30)
Psych 104
Lunch
Phys Ed 103
A Capella
rehearsal
2 pm
3 pm
Phys Ed 103
Phys Ed 103
Work in Library
4 pm
Work in Library
5 pm
A Capella
rehearsal
A Capella
rehearsal
A Capella
rehearsal
6 pm
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
Dinner
7 pm
Work in
Library
Work in Library
Work in
Library
Work in Library
Work in
Library
8 pm
Work in
Library
Work in Library
Work in
Library
Work in Library
Work in
Library
9 pm
Study
Study Group
Study
Study Group
Study
Dinner
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
February 2013
Fri
Sat
1 Paper
assigned
2
3
4 Begin
thesis
research
5
6
7
8 Get thesis
approved
9
10
11 Begin
research
12
13
14
15 Finish
outline
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Sun
26
Mon
27
Tues
28
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
March 2013
1 Finish
rough draft
2
3
4 Bring to
writing center
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15 Finish
second draft;
writing center
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 Finish
third draft;
writing center
23
24/31
Sun
25
29
30
April 2013
26
Mon
27
Tues
28
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5 Complete
final draft
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 Polish
13
14
15
16
17
18
19 Polish
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 Turn in the
paper
27
Week 4: Where Did My $$ Go?
• The purpose: Learn how banking works
• Students learn how to open a checking/savings
account
• Students also learn how credit cards work and become
aware of credit rating
Week 5: How Do I Fit In?
• The purpose: Learn to navigate the social scene on campus
• Students explore their college’s website to discover what
clubs/activities might be interesting, both on- and off-campus,
as well as figure out transportation.
• Students research on-campus locations that offer non-academic
help.
• Case Studies
– Roommate Issue: “Sexiled”
– How to Get Home on Your Own
– Suspicious Activity
Wofford Clubs:
1. Goldtones, the Women’s A Capella Group
Groups perform, tour, or attend music festivals abroad each year. Counts as credit hours. Good way to meet people
with my interests
2. The Journal Literary Magazine
One of the oldest college literary magazines in the south. Creative writing classes have priority for staff. I’m interested
in communications (including publishing and editing)
3. Campus Union, Student Government
Special Events Committee plans all-campus activities. Good way to get involved.
Restaurants:
1. Brickhouse Pizzeria (walk)
2. Wade’s Restaurant (walk)
3. Converse Deli and Coffee Bar (walk)
Non-Academic Help:
1. Mungo Center - 864-597-4261
2. Wellness Center - 864-597-4370
Week 6: Home Sweet Home
• The purpose: Learn practical skills that will be
needed beyond college.
• Using a hands-on approach, students learn to do
laundry, mend clothes, clean bathrooms, and cook for
themselves.
Transition Day
• Part 1: The Scavenger Hunt
• Each student must travel around town via public
transportation complete activities such as:
– Visiting the Registrar, Library, Health Center, Gym,
Dining Hall, and Bookstore at a local college
– Apply for a job
– Grocery shop
– Learn to sew on a button
Transition Day
•
Part 2: The Alumni Panel
• Past students come back to our campus to answer
questions and give us information including:
– Their biggest challenges
– Their biggest surprises
– Advice for next year’s class
– What they wish they’d known going in
– What advice they wish they’d listened to
Transition Day
• Part 3: The Parent Panel
• Parents of our past students come on campus to answer
questions and give us information including:
– Their biggest challenges
– Their biggest surprises
– Advice for next year’s class
– What advice they wish they’d listened to
How to get started
Start small--a one day seminar will do.
Find guest speakers (college students, parents, staff,
physicians, bankers, etc.)
Have hands-on activities that each student can
customize to his or her own needs
Go over case studies involving different social
situations (roommate problems, academic difficulties,
substance abuse)
Provide your students with a “Toolkit” for transition
The Toolkit
• By implementing a transition program, you allow students to build
their own “Toolkit” of information before they leave high school.
• What’s in the Toolkit?
– Names and phone numbers of offices on their campus that can
help them.
– A sample course plan to go over with their advisor
– Copies of health insurance card, social security card, and other
important documents they might need
– A list of the activities or clubs they want to explore during the first
weeks of school
– They also have acquired and practiced time management,
planning, banking/budgeting and social skills that will help them
every day on their respective campuses