How Do Peer Connections Relate to Adjustment and Satisfaction?

This research note explores the relationships between campus involvement, sense of belonging and peer connections.  Data from the 2010 Fall Transition Survey is summarized in this research note, which includes responses from 101,238 first-year students from 85 institutions.

Educational Benchmarking (EBI) and Ball State University partnered to create MAP-Works (Making Achievement Possible). MAP-Works capitalizes on Ball State’s 20 years of experience with the original MAP (Making Achievement Possible) and EBI’s 14 years of experience with national benchmarking assessments. MAP-Works empowers the faculty and professional staff to effectively and efficiently impact student success.

MAP-Works^® is a comprehensive student retention and success program designed for all class levels. MAP-Works identifies students early in the term allowing for immediate support and intervention. It then serves as the infrastructure to manage critical outreach efforts.

Although the majority of respondents reported they are making peer connections, a notable percentage indicated they are not meeting people who include them in activities. Respondents who make peer connections were more likely than other students to report they are socially integrated. Only 19% of respondents who indicated they are not meeting people who include them in their activities also reported they are fitting in, compared to 84% of those who indicated they are meeting people who include them in activities. While not as strongly related, respondents who make peer connections were more likely to report they are academically integrated. When compared to respondents who report they are not meeting people who include them in activities, respondents who are making peer connections were significantly more likely to intend to return to their institution in the next academic year. Similarly, they were more likely to evaluate their institution positively and to recommend their institution. Finally, although respondents with weak peer connections were similar to their peers in terms of intentions to complete their degree, they were less likely to indicate they intended to complete their degree at their current institution.

1. Peer connections are tightly linked with social integration and loosely linked to academic integration.

   • Respondents who reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities were significantly less likely than other respondents to report they were fitting in-19% compared to 43% and 84%.
   • Less than 30% percent of respondents who reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities also reported they belonged, compared to 79% of those who reported they were meeting people.
   • Three-fourths of respondents who indicated they were meeting people who included them in activities reported high levels of satisfaction with their social life. Only 15% of respondents who indicated they were not meeting people who included them in activities reported high levels of satisfaction.
   • Seventy-eight percent of respondents who reported they were meeting people who included them in their activities also reported they were keeping current with their academic work, compared to 65% of respondents who reported they were not meeting others who included them in activities.
   • Three-fourths of respondents who reported they were meeting people who included them in their activities also reported they were learning and were motivated to complete their academic work, compared to six out of ten of respondents who reported they were not meeting others who included them in activities.
   • Respondents who reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities were significantly less likely than other respondents to report they were satisfied with their academic life- 45% compared to 52% and 72%.

2. Students who make peer connections are more likely to intend to return to the institution.

   • Eighty-seven percent of respondents who reported they were meeting people who included them in their activities also indicated they are extremely likely to return to the institution the next year.
   • Only 68% of respondents who reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities indicated they are extremely likely to return to the institution the next year.

3. Peer connections are related to satisfaction with the institution.

   • About 85% of respondents who reported they were meeting people who included them in activities indicated they would recommend their institution, compared to only 56% of respondents who reported they were not meeting people who included them.
   • Three-fourths of respondents who indicated they were meeting people who included them in activities also reported they would choose their institution again, compared to 45% of respondents who indicated they were not meeting others.
   • Respondents who indicated they were meeting people who included them in activities were significantly more likely to rate their experience at the institution as very good or excellent compared to respondents who indicated they were not meeting people who included them in activities.

4. Although they are committed to completing a college degree, students with weak peer connections are less likely to be committed to completing a degree at their institution.

   • Three-fourths of respondents who reported they were meeting people who included them in activities also indicated they were committed to completing a college degree at their institution, compared to 57% of those who reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities.
   • More than nine out of ten respondents indicated they were committed to completing a college degree. Important differences did not exist between respondents based on the degree to which they were meeting people who included them in activities.

Conclusion

About seven percent of respondents reported they were not meeting people who included them in activities. These respondents were less likely to be socially and academically integrated. They also were less likely than other respondents to intend to return to their institution the next academic year, to evaluate their institution positively, and to recommend their institution.

Finally, although they were equally likely to intend to complete their degree, they were significantly less likely to indicate they intended to complete their degree at their current institution.

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