International Students and the First Year of College

Little research on first-year programming has focused on the adjustment and persistence of international students. This qualitative study investigated the first-year experiences of international students at an institution where large numbers of international students enroll, but few persist to graduation. Interviews with international students who persisted at the university and were in their senior year revealed several areas of first-year adjustment stemming from linguistic and cultural differences. The findings support some aspects of traditional persistence theories such as the importance of involvement and integration. First-year programming for international students must address English proficiency and the development of social networks.