The First-Year Experience
The First-Year Experience Program assists students in making the transition to college life. Faculty, academic affairs staff, and student affairs staff, as well as upper class students, work together to ensure that freshmen become familiar with the academic culture at Keuka College; take advantage of opportunities to improve academic, psychological, and social aptitudes and skills; and become involved as active participants in curricular and out-of-class student life opportunities. Key components of the program include:
Orientation—Essential information is provided and bonds to the institution are fostered through ongoing correspondence, an Accepted Students' Day in the spring, one full day New Student Orientation in the summer, and Wolf Week immediately before classes begin.
Freshman Advising—(See section on Academic Advising.)
Peer Mentor—In addition to faculty major advisors, all first-year students are assigned a student mentor to assist with making the transition to student life.
Monitoring—Timely identification of potential problem areas is enhanced through monitoring by advisors and peer mentors. The College also utilizes an electronic alert system to identify early barriers to student success.
Course work—Specially designed freshmen courses such as
KC-101, College English, and Wellness help students acclimate to college life and develop the cognitive abilities essential to learning.