Expectations, Culture, and Adaptation to Higher Education Institutions by First-Year Students

Abstract

This chapter analyzed expectations, culture, and adaptation to higher education institutions by first-year students. By adopting a conceptual review as framework, data were obtained from published literature. The results presented in the chapter indicated that most first-year students have unrealistic expectations and that the university culture often presents new and confusing expectations to the majority of first-year students. Moreover, many students are still starting their experience with either high or unrealistic expectations for what to expect during their first year of university. It is recommended that the managers of universities should develop more positive alignment between perceived expectations and levels of student satisfaction with the quality of their experience.