Abstract
The survey instrument Your First College Year (YFCY) was developed for higher education researchers and practitioners to gain perspective on the personal growth and academic development of freshmen college students. The YFCY, designed as a follow-up instrument to the CIRP Freshmen Survey, collects data on both cognitive (thinking/learning) and affective (feeling/emotions) measures, as well as provides comprehensive institutional and comparative data for analysis in three areas: 1) student persistence from year to year, 2) adjustment to college life, and 3) other first-year learning outcomes such as critical and analytical thinking (Higher Education Research Institute, 2003). The YFCY allows institutions to identify features of the first year that encourage learning, campus involvement, retention and academic success, and overall satisfaction. Data from this instrument are especially useful for campuses seeking to enhance first-year programs and retention strategies.
The YFCY appears to measure some liberal arts outcomes. Self-reported items show change over the freshman year and include: analytical and problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, knowledge of other cultures, ability to get along with others, and understanding of local, national, and global issues. The YFCY focuses on assessing the campus environment and campus outcomes. Assessment of the campus environment is related to questions that directly address students’ experiences on campus, and assessment of outcomes is related to questions that address student learning, student adjustment, intent to reenroll, and overall satisfaction.
Although the YFCY was designed to measure student adjustment, satisfaction, and intent to reenroll, it does have components that measure liberal arts outcomes. Its strengths include flexibility in administering the survey, the 30-item section that allows campuses to design their own questions, and its overall comprehensiveness.