Effects of a freshman orientation course on academic outcomes, quality of effort and estimated intellectual gain

Colleges and universities have become increasingly aware that today's more diverse student population needs assistance in successfully making the transition to college. This study investigated the relationship between completion of a freshman orientation course and academic outcomes, quality of academic effort, and estimated intellectual gain. Students who had completed a freshman orientation course during their initial semester of enrollment (N = 329) were compared with students who had not competed such a course (N = 329). The two groups were matched on semester of initial enrollment, gender, ethnicity, high school class rank and college major.;This study compared the academic outcomes (credit hours earned per semester, cumulative grade point average, and retention rates), experiences (quality of academic effort) and attitudes (estimated intellectual gain) of the two groups. Quality of academic effort and estimated intellectual gain were collected using The College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ). One hundred twenty orientation course students and 109 non-orientation course students completed the CSEQ.;Overall, orientation course students reported greater intellectual gain one year after enrollment and earned more credit hours per semester and expended greater effort toward academic tasks three years after enrollment. For every statistically significant difference found, the academic outcomes, experiences and attitudes of orientation course students were greater or more positive than they were for students who had not completed the orientation course.;When student characteristics were considered, the most striking differences were found within levels of academic preparation. Orientation course students who were the least academically prepared (lowest one-quarter of high school class rank) earned more credit hours per semester, had higher grades and re-enrolled at significantly higher rates than did academically under prepared non-orientation course students. However, significant differences were not limited to under prepared students. Orientation course students with higher levels of academic preparation also experienced more positive academic outcomes than did their no-course counterparts.;It was recommended the orientation course be continued with a focus on academically under prepared students and that the curriculum be adjusted to place a greater emphasis on increasing the quality of students' academic effort.