Where and How Does Fitting in Matter? Examining New Students’ Perceived Fit With Their University, Instructors, and Classmates

Abstract

Researchers routinely find that individuals and organizations are better off when the personal characteristics of members fit with contextual organizational characteristics. Typically, this kind of research examines employees and the work environment. However, the dynamics of fit can be applied broadly, and some researchers have found fit-related theory to be a useful tool for examining students’ relationships with their universities. We build on this body of work by using new students’ perceptions of needs-based and values-based fit with their university, instructors, and classmates to predict both intention to recommend and turnover intention. For the purposes of recruitment and retention, results emphasize the importance of needs-based fit with the university and with classmates.

Student Retention: Fostering Peer Relationships Through a Brief Experimental Intervention

“…However, students tend to readily identify and acknowledge the importance of peer bonding in relation to retention, even when open-ended questions are used (Mestan, 2016). This research, combined with research that used quantitative approaches (Altermatt, 2019;Bronkema & Bowman, 2019;Grant-Vallone et al, 2003;Knapp et al, 2020;Skahill, 2002), supports the importance of peer relationships, which provide opportunities for collaborative learning (Loes et al, 2017) and sharing information about procedures and processes on campus (Karp et al, 2010).…”

Making Major Decisions

“…It is important to continue exploring factors that also contribute to major declaration and transitions to college. These include extrinsic motivators like familial influence, instructor relationships, and peer connections, as well as intrinsic motivations that students develop before and during college (Covarrubias et al, 2020;D' Amico Guthrie & Fruiht, 2020;Knapp et al, 2020). These influences should be considered holistically in exploratory advising, major exploration courses, and institutional assessments of student major declaration behavior.…”

Az egyetemi hallgatók megtartását segítő eszközök a nemzetközi gyakorlatban: Elméletek és módszerek

“…A felsőoktatás társadalmi szerepével kapcsolatban különféle jelentéstulajdonítások léteznek, melyek a felsőoktatást társadalmilag semlegesnek mutatják, és elfedik az integráció, illetve a szelekciós mechanizmusok funkcióit (Bodin & Orange, 2018;McDonough, 1994;Sommet és mtsai., 2015;O'Shea, 2016). Ugyanakkor az "illeszkedés" önmagában is olyan jelenség, melyről a hallgatónak saját interpretációja van (Knapp, Masterson & Kedharnath, 2017).…”