First Year Experiences

Orientation can go only so far in making freshmen feel connected. Many schools, such as those below, now build into the curriculum first year seminars or other programs that bring small groups of students together with faculty or staff on a regular basis.

In spring 2012 we invited college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students, and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools to nominate up to 10 institutions with stellar examples of first year experiences. Colleges and universities that were mentioned most often are listed here, in alphabetical order.

Save	School
	Alverno College Milwaukee, WI
	Appalachian State University Boone, NC
	Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA
	Ball State University Muncie, IN
	Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH
	Calvin College Grand Rapids, MI
	Elon University Elon, NC
	Evergreen State College Olympia, WA
	Gordon College Wenham, MA
	Indiana University–Bloomington Bloomington, IN
	Indiana University-Purdue University–Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
	Ohio State University–Columbus Columbus, OH
	Purdue University–West Lafayette West Lafayette, IN
	Stanford University Stanford, CA
	University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI
	University of Missouri Columbia, MO
	University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
	University of South Carolina Columbia, SC
	University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
	University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, WI
	Wagner College Staten Island, NY

Save

School

Alverno College

Milwaukee, WI

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA

Ball State University

Muncie, IN

Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH

Calvin College

Grand Rapids, MI

Elon University

Elon, NC

Evergreen State College

Olympia, WA

Gordon College

Wenham, MA

Indiana University–Bloomington

Bloomington, IN

Indiana University-Purdue University–Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA

Ohio State University–Columbus

Columbus, OH

Purdue University–West Lafayette

West Lafayette, IN

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

University of Missouri

Columbia, MO

University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN

University of South Carolina

Columbia, SC

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Madison, WI

Wagner College

Staten Island, NY