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Article Type

Professional Proficiency

Article Abstract

Related Issue:

Institutions typically invest heavily in the first-year experience to promote persistence, yet colleges are also experiencing a pattern of attrition in the second year. The second year is viewed as a period in which students encounter increasing academic, developmental, and social demands, yet the institution tends to provide less support relative to the first year. Using the interpretative phenomenological approach, this article explores sophomores’ perception and understanding of their experience and the intentional approaches institutions can adopt in promoting their success. Semistructured interviews were conducted to analyze students’ experiences in the second year. The findings suggest that sophomores are in the process of establishing their identity, re-evaluating their purpose and collegiate experience; consequently the need for a different kind of support is apparent. Second-year students are experiencing an internal transition and are still in need of year-specific support to successfully meet the demands of progressing through college.

Author(s)

Althea J. Sterling currently serves as an Assistant Dean for Student Services at Touro Law Center. She has been in higher education for more than 14 years in student services and obtained a doctorate degree in higher education in October 2015 from Northeastern University. She is an avid supporter of student success, which is reflected through her own work in student services at Touro Law as well as in her previous work in academic testing and student enrollment advocate at Brooklyn College. Dr. Sterling’s research interest is retention and student success. The article submission originates from her dissertation, The Persistence of Sophomores Following Their Transition from a First Year Program. Dr. Sterling has presented at both national and local conferences to keep the spotlight on the second-year experience.

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