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A,“ “$7.5? flaw”: ‘7‘ 17.. 7‘7 73:.‘13r' M ‘3 ' Ewiéglf 77.4.: 7‘ 4...: 1.77.3. Wym ‘i’ 7.777.. ”31;; ”tut. .7. 71‘7 ‘W‘ W ' 1: a "'7‘ 17.7 tfi§afigfadlfifil u, I. D" I ‘:';' ~13», ‘Ei’f" Mum‘s..." lw HE " Al" .4. .. . . H1... .. . . .7“ N1 “‘7"; . . L... u- d 7”- " 4 .n 5‘31‘1‘7‘: \J‘ 7,}; “a .2 an 4., .7. l ‘~ ' ' THESIS This is to certifg that the thesis entitled A S7’RWTY' 0F ()HIEJ‘E‘TA‘L‘IOH PPA'irl‘I-‘Irl. WITHIN THE IH-JITED STATES. 7-31-1127. Il-"T‘l 133310373 77“.“ PW? UTFVrZFSITY (Z? "IYCI 11"“. presented by Sharles H. Thomhson has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ed.D. degree in Bducat ion Mr?” Major profit» Date -‘1el)r*1'wr’r I“, 1’751L 0-169 --————-——.- A SURVEY OF ORIENTATION PRACTICES IN SELECTED OOLEEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING by Charles E. Thompson A THESIS Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUGATION Department of Guidance and Counselor Training 195K THEblS "’54,..- {1/ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study would not have been possible without the assistance of a number of persons at Michigan State College and the University of Wyo- ming. The writer is indebted to Dr. 0. R. Hendrix, Director of Student Personnel and Guidance at the University of wyoming, for his personal help and counsel, and for the provision of clerical help to collect and tabulate data from the several surveys. He is appreciative of the advice in planning the study received from Dr. Clifford Erickson, Dean of the Basic College and the School of Edu— cation at Michigan State College; from Dr. Raymond Hatch, Head of the Department of Guidance and Counselor Training at Michigan State College; and from Dr. Lyle L. Miller, Director of Guidance Training at the Uni- versity of wyoming. He is grateful for invaluable assistance from Mr. Joseph Long, Director of the I.B.M. Office at the University of wyoming, for help in setting up and tabulating data for statistical analyses. To his adviser and friend, Dr. walter F. Johnson, the writer wishes to express his gratitude for the wise and timely counsel and inspiration he has provided. Dr. Johnson's untiring help and assistance has materi- ally aided the writer in this study and in his professional growth. To the many school administrators, secondary, state and national, who co-Operated by providing requested data, the writer expresses his sincere thanks. The writer also wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to the many persons who have aided him in the final completion of this study. 329585 Charles E. Thompson candidate for the degree of Doctor of Education Final Examination. February 19. 195G, 8:00 A.M.. Room 17, Morrill Hall. Dissertation: A Survey of Orientation Practices in Selected Colleges and Universities in the United States with Implications for the University of wyoming. Outline of Studies Major subject: Education (Guidance) Minor subject: Social Service and Allied Areas Biographical Items Born, July 2. 1905. Marlow. South Dakota High School. Dusk. wyoming, 1920-1924 Undergraduate Studies. University of wyoming. Laramie, wyoming. B.A. degree in Liberal Arts (Science major). 1928-1931 Graduate Studies; University of wyoming. Laramie. Wyoming. M.A. degree in Education (Administration and Supervision), 1931-193h Advanced Studies, University of wyoming. Laramie. wyoming. Non-degree status, 19h7-1952. Michigan State College. East Lansing, Michigan. Education. Experience: Graduate Student in Guidance and Counseling Training in 1949-1953 MathematiCS Teacher and High School Principal. Hanna, wyoming, 1931-1934: Senior High School Science Instructor, Evanston. wyoming, 1934-19h0: U.S.Army Officer. United States and Over- seas, l9h0-1946: Instructor-Counselor, University of flyoming. Laramie, wyoming. 1946: Instructor-Veterans Appraiser. Uni- versity of wyoming, Laramie, wyoming, l9h6-49: Assistant Professor, Testing Service and Supervisor, Veterans Affairs. University of wyoming, Laramie, wyoming. 19h9-1953: Assist- ant Professor, Head Testing Service, University of wyoming, Laramie, wyoming, 1953 - date. Member of: iv American College Personnel Association. National Vocational Guidance Association (Professional Member), Phi Delta Kappa. and Kappa'Delta Pi. .A SURVEY OF ORIENTATION PRACTICES IN SELECTED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE‘UNITED STATES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING by Charles H. Thompson AN'ABSTRACT Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of.Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Department of Guidance and Counselor Training Year 195’i Maw vi ThggPrOblem. This survey of orientation on a local, state and na- tional basis was undertaken to answer the following questions: 1. What is the evaluation of the present orientation program at the University of wyoming by high school seniors and college freshmen? 2. What are orientation.practices at other colleges and universi- ties of a size comparable to the University of wyoming? 3. What changes should be made in the present orientation program at the University of wyoming? Methodology, Techniques. and Data. The questionnaire survey method was employed as the technique most appropriate for the approach to the problem. Questionnaires were distributed to all high school seniors in the State of wyoming and to University of wyoming freshmen in order to determine their evaluation of the present orientation program at wyoming. In addition, questionnaires were sent to selected colleges and universi- ties in the United States comparable in size to the University of Wyo- ming. The purpose of these questionnaires was to determine typical col- lege orientation practices throughout the United States. Approximately 750 high school seniors who planned to enter the Uni- versity of wyoming answered the orientation questionnaire. This number is about the same as the actual freshmen enrollment for the following year. College freshmen at wyoming'University were contacted through ques— tionnaires on orientation distributed in all freshmen English classes. Over 500 freshmen answered this questionnaire representing more than 85 per cent of that class. vii For the national survey of colleges and universities. the 2.000 to 5.000 enrollment classification was selected because the University of wyoming is within this bracket. One hundred and twenty-three out of 128 colleges surveyed answered at least one of the two questionnaires sub- mitted to them on orientation practices within their school. Findings and Conclusiong. Over 40 per cent of the graduating high school seniors in wyoming for 1951-52 planned on continuing their formal education. Over half of this group stated their intention to attend the state university. Influences most responsible for these decisions were advice of parents. classmates. friends. teachers. the fact that the Uni- versity is the only school of higher education in the state, awareness of the University athletic program. and the desire for more schooling before going into the service. An.eXpressed desire for more pre-college contacts with university officials and faculty advisers was noted in this survey. Orientation procedures favored were these that provided for understanding the mechanics of registration. adviser conferences. and group participar tion activities. There was definite sentiment to limit speech making during orientation. University of wyoming freshmen were polled on worthwhileness of the specific parts of orientation. Results of this poll indicate a need to study critically less pepular orientation practices. such as the fresh- men assembly, college tours. painting the school letter. tug-o-war, and the library Open house. More papular activities noted were adviser con- ferences. freshmen steak fry. and social mixers. Freshmen also mentioned that registration procedures appeared too involved at the University of wyoming and that later fraternity-sorority rushing would be desirable. viii Reasons given by these college freshmen for entering the state university were similar to those offered by the high school seniors planning to at- tend. The national college survey indicated that most colleges and uni- versities do offer an organized orientation program during the first week of school. The major purpose of orientation. according to a majority of the schools surveyed. appears to be social adjustment in an effort to make new students feel at home in a new environment. The trend seems to be for the colleges to hold to established procedures of orientation with very few changes contemplated. Attempts at self—evaluation, in general, were lacking. It would appear also that most colleges follow somewhat the same program of orientation as that observed at the University of wyoming. Suggested improvements for the present orientation program at the University of wyoming include more emphasis on pre-enrollment orienta- tion, greater participation by students in organization of orientation. extension of the orientation program through the first year of college. and continuation of evaluation and study of orientation. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM . Introduction . . . . . . . Statement of the Problem . The Need for and Importance Definition of Terms . . . Limitations of the Study . of Orientation O O O O O O 0 Summary and Plan of Organization . . . . II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE PERTAINING TO EVALUATION OF COLLEGE ORIENTATION PRACTICES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING . . The Purpose of Orientation o e o e o O O O O The History of College Orientation PrOgrams . . Review of Related Studies . National Studies: Survey and Universities . . . Knode Survey . . . . Grohsmeyer Survey . . . Orientation Conference . Nelson Orientation Test . Cornehlson Survey . . . . MacKay Study . . . . . . of Land—Grant O O O O 0 Colleges PAGE coupon) 10 12 12 14 17 l8 19 20 20 22 22 23 CHAPTER wyoming Studies: Hendrix Study . . . . . . . . . . . . Bookman Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gentle Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robertson Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The University of Nyoming and the DeveIOpment of its Student Personnel Services as they Pertain to Ori- entation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Historical background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeveIOpment of Student Personnel Services at the Uni- versity of wyoming having implications for orienta- tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The present University of wyoming orientation program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary of the Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . III. METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY . . . . . . . . . Sampling Procedures Employed in This Study . . . . Recent wyoming high school graduates . . . . . . . . College freshmen at the University of wyoming . . . . Selection of colleges and.universities for national survey of orientation practices . . . . . . . . . . Construction of the Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . High school senior questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . College freshmen questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . College survey questionnaires on orientation . . . . PAGE 21» 25 25 26 27 27 n3 as u? #8 49 xi CHAPTER PAGE Analysis of the Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 The comprehensiveness of the study . . . . . . . . . 51 IV. .ANALYSIS OF ORIENTATION PRACTICES AT SELECTED INSTITU~ TIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING WITH ENROLLMENTS BETWEEN 2.000 AND 5.000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Pre-College Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 The Freshman Orientation Program . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Special Problems of Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8” V. EVALUATION OF THE CURRENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM.AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BY FRESHMEN STUDENTS . . . . . . 86 Analysis of the Freshmen Opinion Survey on Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 VI. ANALYSIS OF REACTIONS OF WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TOWARD ORIENTATION PRACTICES AS OUTLINED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 The Need for Pre-Enrollment Orientation . . . . . . . . 97 Deve10pment of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Reactions of High School Seniors Toward Orientation . . 108 VII. SUMMARY. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . 116 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 The problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 xii CHAPTER PAGE Conclusions. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Recommendations for improving the University of wyoming orientation program . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Suggestions for further research . . . . . . . . . . 124 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 APPENDIX A . . . . . ...... . . ..... . . ..... . . 134 APPENDIX B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . 136 APPENDIX C . . . . ....... . . ..... . . . . . . . . . 141 APPENDIX D . . . . . . ..... . . ..... . . . . . . . . . 144 APPENDIX E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 APPENDIX E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 APPENDIX G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 APPENDIX H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 APPENDIX I . . . . . ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 APPENDIX.J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 APPENDIX K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 APPENDIX.L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 APPENDIX M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 APPENDIX N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Distribution of Participating wyoming High Schools Showing Possible wyoming University Enrollees . . . . 40 II. Distribution by Colleges of Freshmen Polled on College Orientation at the University of Nyoming . . . 42 III. Types of Schools Surveyed in Initial Questionnaire . . . 45 IV. Types of Schools Surveyed in Final Orientation Survey . 45 V. College Orientation Questionnaire Response . . . . . . . 46 VI. Enrollments of Colleges Surveyed . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 VII. Types of Pre-College Activities Held on Campus for HighSchoolStudents................. 56 I VIII. NUmber of Activities for High School Students Held on Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 IX. Entrance Materials Requested Prior to Admission . . . . 59 X. Materials Sent Students Accepted for Admission . . . . . 61 XI. Schools Having Pre-Registration Campus Advisement . . . 62 1 XII. Schools Having Home Pre-Registration Visits . . . . . . 63 ‘ XIII. Titles of Officials Directing Orientation . . . . . . . 64 XIV. Orientation Committee Representation . . . . . . . . . . 65 XV. Orientation Scheduled Prior to Enrollment . . . . . . . 66 XVI. Mid-Year Orientation Provided . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 XVII. Attendance Compulsory at Orientation . . . . . . . . . . 68 TABLE XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. Freshmen Orientation Week Observations . . . . . . . . Names Most Commonly Used for Orientation Periods . . . General Orientation Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Social Functions Provided During Orientation . . . . . Religious Activities During Orientation . . . . . . . . Required Entrance Examinations . . . . . . . . . . . . Specific Parts of Orientation Followed by Colleges . . Reaction Toward Fraternity-Sorority Rushing . . . . . Attitude Toward Requiring Faculty Members To Be on Campus During Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . Colleges Holding Pre-School Orientation for New Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colleges Offering a College Career Day Program . . . . Colleges Conducting a Special Foreign Student Orientation PrOgram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feeling Toward Present Orientation Program . . . . . . Contemplated Changes in Orientation Program . . . . . College Orientation Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . Distribution of Freshmen by Colleges with Indication of Orientation Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinions of Freshmen on the WOrthwhileness and Length of the Orientation.Pr0gram . . . . . . . . . . . . Percentage Opinions of Freshmen on the werthwhileness of the Various Aspects of Wyoming‘University Orienta- tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv PAGE 69 70 7o 72 73 7L» 75 77 78 78 79 80 81 82 83 87 88 TABLE XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIV. XLII. XLIII. XLIV. XLV. XLVI. XLVII. XLVIII. Per Cent of Freshmen Who Felt that Pre—Entrance Information and School Indoctrination on the Campus Were Adequate . . . . . . . . . . . . Influences Responsible for Freshmen Deciding to Attend the University of wyoming . . . . Further Enrollment Plans for 1.280 Wyoming High School Seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Educational Intentions and Abilities of 2,638 Wyoming High School Seniors . . . . . . . . Freshmen Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . Educational Intentions of 2,638 Wyoming High School Seniors by Counties . . . . . . . . . . . . Educational Intentions of 2,638 Nyoming High School Seniors by Districts . . . . . . . . . . . . Influences Responsible for Decision to Attend the University of wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . 0 PAGE . . 93 . . 94 102 . 103 . . 104 . . 106 . . 10? . 109 Pro-Enrollment Contacts by the University of wyoming . llO Occasion for Visit to the wyoming University Campus Pre—College Advisement Clinic at the University of wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printed University Materials Available to High School Seniors in “yoming . . . . . . . . . Additional Information Requested by High School Seniors Prior to Attending wyoming University . 111 . 111 . . 112 . . 113 xvi TABLE PAGE XLIX. wyoming High School Senior Opinions Toward Specific Aspects of the Orientation Program . . . . . . . . . . 114 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. State of Nyoming Showing Location of Participating Wyoming High Schools. with Per Cent of Possible University of Wyoming Attenders . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 2. wyoming County Population. County Seats, and Distances to University of wyoming . . . . . . . . . . lOO CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM Introduction One meaning of the word orientate is to face in the right direction. An effective college orientation program helps students start out in the right direction to gain the most benefit from college life. An aim to- ward worthwhile goals and an understanding of one's own abilities are needed so that the student does not become hopelessly mired in a morass of conflicting and unrealistic goals. The more understanding one has, the less formidable becomes the new situations encountered in life. The college freshman finds himself in a new world. There he is in the process of building new ideals, forming new habits, learning new facts and having to adjust in a very limited time to a new environment. The procedure of orientation has long been accepted in various vo- cational fields through systems of apprenticeship and indoctrination. 0n the other hand, it is only within the past thirty years that orienta— tion has been recognized as essential in the programs offered by insti— tutions of higher learning. At the University of Wyoming, since World war II, there has been an increased interest in improving orientation procedures. Before World war II, enrollment at this institution was quite small and consistent with the limited population of the state.1 However, since that time there has been a 55.5 per cent increase in enrollment2 caused partly by veterans attending under the G. I. Bill and also by an apparent increase in popu- larity of the university among prospective out-of-state students. With the growing population of the state causing an ever increasing student enrollment. University officials felt that a more formal and organized orientation procedure was necessary. A problem that college administrators all over the country were be- coming increasingly aware of was the loss in total enrollments through heavy freshmen drop-outs. Statistics indicated that approximately only two-thirds of the entering freshmen stayed in college through their first year and less than one-half ever graduated.3 College administrators be- gan to see that student drop-outs caused by bewilderment and homesickness were unnecessary, and they began to see that adequate orientation for the new student might help prevent some of these early losses. They realized that an improved school indoctrination program might make the new college student better able to adapt himself to his new environment. Thus schools and colleges have become more cognizant of the need for better orienta- tion procedures. 1Ruth Hudson, Here lg wyomigg. Laramie, wyoming: University of wyoming Developmental Study Publication, October, 1948, p. 15. 2Compiled from Statistical Summagz, 1251-5 . Office of the Registrar, University of wyoming, October, 1952, p. 4. 3Esther Lloyd-Jones and Margaret Smith. A Student Personnel Program for Higher Education. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company. 1938, pp. 70- 91. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this survey was to answer the following three ques- tions: 1. What is the evaluation of the present orientation program at the University of wyoming by high school seniors and college freshmen? 2. What are orientation practices at other colleges and universi- ties of a size comparable to the University of wyoming? 3. What changes should be made in the present orientation program at the University of Wyoming? If these questions are answered satisfactorily, the University of wyoming will have gained baSic information that will be helpful in build- ing a workable orientation program to attract and retain future wyoming enrollees. The title given to this problem is "A Survey of Orientation Practices in Selected Colleges and Universities in the United States with Implications for the University of wyoming." The Need for and Importance of Orientation In the American college today guidance services are becoming a more significant part of the organizational framework of the institution. Ori- entation is one of the mOSt important guidance services offered to the newly arrived student, be he transfer or incoming freshman, as it does much to give him a feeling of belonging. As he feels that he belongs to the school, so much more likely will he be to carry out the ideals and purposes of the institution. A prime purpose of orientation is to help the freshman plan his college life so that he will function effectively both as student and member of the college community life. The importance of planning a well organized orientation program is described by both Strangl'p and Knode.5 They believe that orientation is becoming increasingly important because of the complexities of modern college life. Some of the factors they mention which make an adequate orientation program so imperative, briefly listed, are: increased col- lege enrollments, lack of homogenerity of the student papulation, growing number of courses offered, increasing gap between high school and college curriculum, and changing educational objectives. The increase almost overnight in the enrollment of colleges and uni- versities following world war II is discussed by MacKay6 as a particularly significant reason for improving orientation procedures. This increased enrollment brought in a much more heterogeneous group of individuals. These individuals, mostly veterans. were from the various social strata as well as in age groups differing from the usual matriculating high school graduates. Many of these returned veterans normally would not have continued their education if it had not been for the educational benefits afforded them under the provisions of the G. I. Bill. This in- creased heterogeneous enrollment caused colleges to increase the variety “Ruth Strang, Personal Development and Guidance in College and Sec- ondary Schools. New York: Harper and Brothers, 193U, 351 pp. 5Jay c. Knode, Orienting the Student i_n College. New York: Columbia University Press, Bureau of Publications, 1930, pp. 3-6. lished Master's Thesis, University of Colorado, 1949, pp. 2-3. 6George Daily MacKay, Freshmen and New Student Orientation. Unpub- of their curriculum offerings which further served to add to the confu- sion and complexity of the college program. The necessity for providing certain basic information related to a comprehensive orientation program is stated by Chisholm.7 He says that all individuals should become informed in the: Values of the "good life." . Opportunities for the trained individual. A better knowledge of one's self. . Vocational needs and opportunities. . Changing nature of the social and economic life. \n-F‘WNH O Adequate academic orientation is necessary in order to at least be- gin to offer the student some of the knowledge and understanding listed above. According to Margaret Bennett. in her article on "College Orienta- tion" for the 1941 Encyclopedia of Educational Research,8 continuous in- vestigation is needed in the following areas: 1. Growth needs and adjustment problems of students to serve as criteria for evaluating and developing orientation programs. 2. Controlled experiments to evaluate the relative merits of dif- ferent types of organization, or varied methods and materials, and the most effective boundaries and relationships of group orientation and individual counseling. 3. Improved methods of measuring the less tangible outcomes of ori- entation. 4. Necessary and desirable qualifications and training of orienta- tion instructor-counselors. 5. Techniques of evaluation that are an integral part of the ori- entation program and that serve as directive agencies in an evolving service. 7Leslie L. Chisholm, Guiding Youth in the Secondagy Schools. Chi- cago: American Book Company. 1945. p. 110. 8Walter S. Monroe (ed), Encyclopedia g: Educational Research, "Col- 1ege Orientation," by Margaret Bennett. New York: MacMillan Company, 1941, p. 1304. The.American Council on.Education in its 1950 report on "Future Needs in Student Personnel work" states: "During recent years in.most colleges and universities there has been a marked trend in the direction of greater concern over the problems of learning. personal adjustments, and the general well-being of the individual students."9 In her chapter on "Orientation of new Students" Ruth Strang sums up orientation's needs as follows: "In brief, the college student needs orientation to each new deveIOpment in his life as he passes from high school to college, as he progresses through college, and as he makes the transition from college to adult life."10 .A comparison of the orientation program at the University of wyoming with programs in similar schools throughout the United States is of par- ticular importance in attempting to evaluate and improve the program now in effect at wyoming. Such a comparison will be helpful in determining strong and weak points in the wyoming program. Moreover, it is heped that the study will identify worthwhile practices in other schools that may be adopted at the'University of wyoming. In addition to a survey of practices in other institutions, a study of student-body reaction toward such a program of orientation at wyoming University both'before and after college enrollment might point the way toward bettering college adjustment practices. Student reaction must be surveyed because it is the final criteria for judging the orientation. Work. washington: American Council on Education Publication, 1950. p. 5. 100. Gilbert Wrenn, Student Personnel Work _i_n College. New York: Ronald Press Company. 1951. p. 276. An Office of Student Personnel and Guidance was instituted at the university of wyoming in 1945.11 It has been the policy of the school administration since that time to have an orientation committee charged with the planning, administering, and evaluating the fall orientation program. Annually one member of the personnel staff is appointed to act as an administration representative on this committee, a faculty repre— sentative is selected from the faculty, and two student body represent- atives are appointed from the student senate. Such other interested I \ group representatives as the committee may deem necessary are invited to \ attend these committee meetings. Since the orientation committee is charged with evaluating its program, it is hoped that the present study will be helpful in this purpose. Definition of Terms The term orientation in this study refers to those organized serv- ices and activities whose purp0se is to help new students better adjust to college life. Strang states that orientation means "turning toward the East, facing a new dawn . . . it means assisting students in acquir— ing techniques of living in college, in achieving a beneficial balance among all the demands and opportunities of college life and in gaining prospective and a sense of purpose."12 11Oscar R. Hendrix, AnProposed Student Personnel Organization for the University 9: wyoming. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Univer- sity of wyoming, 1949. p. 12. 12Wrenn, _p. cit., p. 274. Freshmen Week, Freshman Week, Orientation week, or New Student week are used interchangeably in this study and refer to that introductory period from one to several days prior to the holding of regular college classes, during which time the college or university conducts a school introductory program. Student Personnel Services as used are concerned with counseling, testing, health, student activities, financial aid, job placement and such other elements purporting to contribute to the student's well being and orientation. Orientation Course refers to a regularly scheduled college class of- fered on a credit or non-credit basis whose main purpose is adjustment to college life. Orientation Program as used in this study is defined by Mildred Wharton13 as containing the following four aspects: (1) pre-admission activities, (2) initial freshmen day, (3) freshmen orientation courses, and (4) freshmen guidance program. Limitations of the Study In any normative survey study there is always some question as to the validity of the data, since replies are subjective and are necessar- ily a reflection of the interpretation of the questions which was made by the respondents. Also the interpretation of the replies must also of necessity be somewhat subjective. Another problem is that many of the 13Mildred M. Wharton, Orientation Freshmen lg Colleges and Univer— sities. washington: National Educational Association Research Division, 1942, p. 4. high school students queried did not have adequate information basis for their evaluation of the orientation program as outlined at the University of wyoming. However, Robertson;h in a somewhat similar study of high school graduate opinions defended this limitation as actually not limiting va- lidity of results. The important point is, according to Robertson, that the opinions, whether right or wrong, are existent in the mind of the individual and must be recognized therefore as such. Some question could also be raised relative to the validity of the data wherein all available Freshmen English students were surveyed. This survey included some students that did not attend orientation and missed some students that did attend this program. However, it is observed that in the present study the number of students who failed to answer parts of the questionnaire pertaining to Orientation week is approximately the same as the number who failed to attend. This similarity suggests that those failing to attend Orientation Week did not attempt to answer ques- tions pertaining to it. The selection of institutions with enrollments between 2,000 and 5.000 might be considered as a limitation. The size of the institution alone should not be a criterion for selection as type (e.g., university, college, technical school) and geographical location (e.g., metropolitan, urban, rural) would also influence enrollments. However, the selection 11‘Robert R. Robertson, Factors Contributing pg Non-Enrollment ig_£hg University 2: wyomigg. Unpublished Master‘s Thesis, University of wyo— ming, 1949, pp. 4-5. 10 in terms of size also included, as it happened, a good sampling of var- ious types of institutions as well as those representing various geo- graphical areas . The writer's involvement in the orientation program has in a sense complicated his relation with the problem being studied. As administra- tion representative on the orientation committee for the past several years he has been closely associated with the planning and administration of orientation at the University of Wyoming, and as a staff member in the Office of Student Personnel and Guidance at the same institution he has been involved in the overall development of today's program. These fac- tors could constitute a limitation in the study if the writer were too defensive of the existing program to admit shortcomings on the basis of these findings. At the same time. however, it makes possible an inti-r mate knowledge of the existing program. Summary and Plan of Organization This study purports to (1) survey incoming freshmen Opinions rela- tive to orientation practices at the University of Warning, (2) study Wyoming freshmen reactions to the existing orientation program at that institution, (3) survey and compare the orientation practices in various selected institutions comparable in size to the University of Wyoming, (4) indicate strong and weak points in the University of Wyoming orienta- tion program, and (5) suggest a new orientation program incorporating the desirable features as determined in this study. The remainder of this study is organized as follows: Chapter II considers the purpose of college orientation, its history and develOpment, 11 and a survey of related pertinent literature on orientation practices. Chapter III deals with the methodology and procedures of the study, its sampling procedures. construction of the questionnaires, and analysis of the data. Chapter IV presents the findings on freshmen orientation prac- tices on a national survey of colleges and universities in the United States of a comparable size to the University of wyoming. Chapter V's basic concern is to present the findings of freshmen evaluation of the current orientation program at the University of wyoming. Chapter VI is an analysis of the reaction of wyoming high school seniors toward orienta- tion.practices at the University of wyoming as a result of any program they have inaugurated in the schools. Chapter VII presents summary,con- clusions and recommendations not only for further research but also for specific modifications in the wyoming University orientation program as it now exists. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE PERTAINING TO EVALUATION OF COLLEGE ORIENTATION'PRACTICES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM.AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING In this chapter the purpose of college orientation, its history and development are considered, literature pertaining to orientation.practices is surveyed and a brief description of the develOpment of orientation at the University of wyoming is given. The Purpose of Orientation The basic purpose of higher education according to the 1947 report1 of the.American Council on Education is "the preservation, transmission, and enrichment of the important elements of culture--the product of scholarship, research, creative imagination, and human experience . . . It puts emphasis, in brief, upon the deveIOpment of the student as a per- son rather than upon his intellectual training alone." Margaret Mead,2 the famous anthrOpologist, states that "it is not surprising that our.American civilization is beginning to develop a large number of agencies whose chief purpose it is to orient the individual, as he moves among some dozen other institutions whose function it is to teach lAmerican Council on Education, The Student Personnel Point g§_View. Washington: {American Council on Education Series I, Volume I (No. 3), 1947, p. l. zRosalind Cassidy and Hilda Kozman, Counselng Girls j._n_ a Changing Society. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1947, foreward. 13 him, cure him, or correct him or merely hire him for a money wage" and that "the increasing recognition of orientation places a very special burden on those Who practice professional or voluntary." Super3 indicates that the purpose of orientation itself is dual: (1) factual, in order to disseminate information presumably needed by the participants, and/or (2) attitudinal designed to inculcate or de- velOp attitudes which facilitate self-orientation. In his keynote address at the Third.Annual Conference of Orientation Week Directors, Dean Robert Strozier.” University of Chicago. summed.up his belief on the purpose of orientation as follows: Orientation is part of the teaching process, as legitimate as a classroom lecture. But the purpose of orientation is not to over- throw the Obvious presumption, but to buttress it and to explain it. ,A well-oriented student should be impressed with the intellectual nature of his new home, and should be informed of the agencies of his new government which are designed to promote the fundamental purposes of his community and his individual and personal welfare. Knodes found that orientation was most important for the following purposes: (1) imparting knowledge of college history and traditions. (2) explaining college rules and regulations. (3) discussing registra- tion procedures, (4) giving an introduction to the campus. (5) extending official welcomes and making provisions for acquaintance, and (6) pro- viding information regarding student activities and organizations. Other purposes related to improving general academic and social adjustment might well be added to the above listing. 3Donald E. Super, "Group Techniques in the Guidance Program," Edu- cational and psychological Measurement, IX (No. 3), Autumn, 1949, p. (+96. “Proceedings Third Annual Conference Orientation Week Directors. Monticello, Illinois, October lO-ll, 1950, p. 9. 5Knode, 93;. cit., pp. 112-113. 1b The History of College Orientation Programs The general orientation course traces its beginning back as far as 1888 when such.a course was introduced inBoston'University6 having as its purpose the "orienting of its new students." In 1900 the Iowa State College mechanical engineering department7 required all freshmen to reg- ister, without college credit, for "technical lectures." The purpose of these "technical lectures” was basically one of orientation. 8 in The Universities of Michigan and Illinois engineering colleges 1911 introduced a series of assemblies “at which the freshmen were told the things which it would be well for them to know at the very beginning of their work." Reed College in 1911—12 reported a course9 in "College Life" given for three hours credit. In an article entitled "Helping the Freshman to Find Himself," Hart10 in 1912 outlined a course to be taken by all second semester freshmen. The course was divided into three parts, namely, (1) vocational lectures "by leaders and thinkers and doers in the world of action," (2) lectures by professors describing the university offerings, and (3) talks by deans, librarian, university president and others upon the general problems of college life. 6ng, cit 7922. cit. t 8999, 01 . 99.2.9. an. 10Joseph.K. Hart, "Helping the Freshman to Find Himself," The Nation, Vol. XCIY, February 22. 1912, p. 182. l5 Freshman Week in some of its phases was inaugurated at W'ellesley11 as early as 1916. It was more fully developed at the University of Rochester12 in 1918. Freshman Week similar to that now offered by most colleges and universities received widespread attention following its organization at the University of Maine in 1923.13 Fitts and Swiftlu cite two periods of orientation activities between 1888 and 1926. The first began in 1888 at Boston University and was characterized by experimentation with various types of activities to help new students adjust to college life. The second period from 1918 on saw the widespread introduction of "war courses" and the rapid development of the "broad social studies type of orientation" called a survey or ori- entation course. In their 1926 survey of 240 colleges Fitts and Swift found orienta~ tion courses offered in 79 of the institutions. As early as 1930, ap- proximately one—third of the American colleges and universities offered some form of an orientation course and approximately three~fourths em- phasized individual orientation to college life.15 The decade of the llKnode, 2p. cit., p. 17. 12Loc. cit. 13MacKay, gp. cit., p. 7. 140. T. Fitts and r. H. Swift, The Construction 2;; Orientation Courses for College Freshmen. University of California Publications in Education, Monolithed No. 3, 1930, pp. 140-250. l5MacKay, _p. gi£., p. 7. 16 nineteenrthirties saw the development of general education programs which endorses many of the objectives of orientation and group guidance.l6 In 1943 the Council of Guidance and Personnel Associations repre- senting 5,000 counselors in high schools and colleges recommended that orientation courses be provided in high schools and colleges.17 In the Kamm and wrenn study18 of 1946 on guidance services in North Central As- sociation liberal arts colleges, it was found that all 123 schools sur- veyed planned a fall orientation program for their new students. Among the activities included in these programs were testing, general assem- blies. social activities, campus tours, and religious activities. In her survey conducted in 1948, Bookmanl9 found that some type of orientation program was offered in 76 per cent of the colleges and uni- versities with enrollments between 1,000 and 3,000 students. Her con- clusions and recommendations are considered later in this chapter. The article on "College Orientation" by Margaret Bennett for the Encyclopedia of Educational Research carries the statement that "orienta- tion services in colleges and universities have been introduced during the past thirty years as an essential part of student personnel programs, and more recently of general education programs."20 16Monroe, 92. _c_i_t., p. 1302. 17923. cit. 18ng. cit. 19Gladys Bookman, "Freshman Orientation Techniques," Occupations. 24:163. December. 1948. 20Monroe, pp. 931., p. 1304. 1? It is noteworthy to observe that interest in orientation is not re— stricted to America alone. At the International workshop on Guidance21 which met in 1951 in Germany, the following principles and practices concerning school orientation were outlined and discussed: 1. Meaning of School Orientation: Every individual must adjust constantly to new situations. When facing these new situations, difficulties often arise. School orientation helps to teach the student how to overcome these difficulties in the best possible way and in the short- est time. 2. Points in our School System where School Orientation is needed: a. Beginning of school. b. Transfer to special schools. 0. Transfer to middle and high schools. d. Transfer to vocational schools. e. Transfer to the university. 3. The Implementation of School Orientation: V. Transfer to the University: That orientation is a big problem here is indicated by the frequent change of the student's major after one or more semesters. The follow- ing measures should be helpful: a. Taking care of the new students by the older. b. Educational guidance by a competent counselor in every school of the university. c. Furtherance of social contacts through social programs, sports, etc. 4. Purpose of Orientation: The major purpose of orientation activities is to help students to adjust to new situations and schools. Specifically, this orientation may be accomplished through such activities as in- terviews, visits to new schools, studies of descriptive circu- lars and student handbooks, discussion groups, and lectures. Review of Related Studies The purpose of this section is to present a cross-sectional review of writer opinions and findings that have been expressed in the litera- ture on orientation. 21Office of Public Affairs, Proceediggs: International Workshop 25 Guidance (translation). Educational Branch, Office of the United States Commissioner for Germany. December. 1951, pp. 26 and l44~8. 18 National Studies: Survey 32 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities. At the request of the Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universi- ties, the Office of Education22 commissioned Arthur J. Klein, Chief of Collegiate and Professional Education of its office to undertake in 1927 a survey of the 69 land-grant colleges and universities including the 17 institutions for negroes. This survey was completed June 30, 1930. Chapter VII of this report is entitled "Orientation of Freshmen." Some of the accepted ways of assisting new students in their adjustment to college found in this summary were briefly: 1. Communication before high school graduation. 2. Conducting meetings and tests upon arrival on campus before the beginning of classes. 3. Sectioning of classes on the basis of student abilities. Provide for transfer of failing students into other courses. Assign ablest faculty to freshmen classes. Prescribe freshmen courses. . Offer course to teach students how best to use time and efforts. . Give students individual help by faculty advisers. mflmmtf This survey found that a large majority of the land—grant institu- tions were concerned with the matter of orienting the freshmen and trans~ for students to their campuses. It was found that "Freshmen Week is the best known device for helping the new student adjust himself when he ar— rives on the campus." An evaluation of their orientation practices in the 69 land-grant institutions included the following information: 31 institutions were satisfied with their present orientation prac- tices. 23U. S. Office of Education, Survey 2: Land-Grant Colleges Egg Hui: versities, Bulletin 1930, No. 9. Arthur J. Klein ed). washington: U. S. Government Printing Office. 1930, p. 98 and pp. 467—477. 19 3 schools felt the need for improvement. 1 school contemplated abandoning orientation. 12 contemplated no change in their present orientation programs. 14 schools planned more time for individual registrants. 4 wanted to enlarge and lengthen their programs. 4 institutions planned to shorten their programs. 12 felt that too much emphasis was placed upon lectures and too little emphasis upon individual counseling. 33 schools used upperclassmen on their orientation programs. 14 have fraternity-sorority rushing during orientation week. Most of the schools surveyed felt that class sectioning on ability was worthwhile. and 20 reported "How to Study" courses, often not for credit, given under the psychology department. Knode Survey. Jay Carroll Knode made a past—card survey23 of 432 colleges and universities in the spring of 1928 as a preliminary step for his doctoral dissertation. Following the brief post—card survey, a more comprehensive questionnaire was sent out to the 194 schools who in the first survey had reported a freshmen orientation program. Of the colleges and universities responding, 105 were coeducational, 24 were men's colleges and 20 were women's colleges. Freshmen classes entering these schools in 1927 ranged in size from 46 to 3352. General conclusions of this survey follow: 1. Freshmen Week is a successful institution. 2. Freshmen Week is not a panacea. 3. No Freshmen Week program should be undertaken without careful previous study. 4. The Freshmen Week program should be adapted to local needs. 5. Freshmen Week programs, after they are inaugurated. should be subjected to continuous study. 6. Freshmen Week bids fair to become a permanent device. This survey was of considerable assistance in preparing the ground— work for the present 1951-52 survey. Post-cards were utilized in the ini— tial survey and followed by more lengthy questionnaires much the same as 23Knode, o . 931.. pp. 30-54. 20 Knode. Some of his questions were closely followed in order to arrive at a basis of comparison with his findings. Grohsmeyer Survey. In his survey of 1,888 high school seniors, 191 college freshmen. and 22 counselors or advisers, Grohsmeyerzu found the following areas suggested as appropriate for an orientation program: Extra-curricular activities. Graduation requirements. Academic—grades and study habits. Affiliated and independent life. Financial obligations. Details on courses offered. College life contrasted to high school life. Benefits of a college education. Mechanics of school operations—registration, tutorial system, probation, petition system, etc. 10. Map of campus and city. 11. History of university. 12. General social life. 13. Personal problems assistance--counselors. 14. Rules and regulations. 15. Student aid, scholarships. part-time jobs. 0 v o \OOOQChUtF‘UNI-J O Orientation Conference. The Third Annual Conference of Orientation Week Directorszs brought out some interesting personal observations in its meeting held October 10-11, 1950. Some of those included are summarized below: Dean Shaffer, Cornell University, stated that the students should be exposed during orientation week to faculty who are: 1. Well adjusted. 2. Sincerely interested in student life. 3. Possessed with information of importance to students. 4. Personable and able to express themselves. 24F. A. Grohsmeyer. A3.Analysis 2: Information 12 pg Sent 32 Incoming Freshmen. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Northwestern University, 1949, p. 109. 25Proceedipgs. Third Annual Conference, Orientation Week Directors. Unpublished mimeographed copy of proceedings, Dean E. E. Stafford, Uni- versity of Illinois, presiding, October 10-11, 1950, 44 pp. 21 Dr. Miner. the Director of Student Affairs at Miami University men— tioned that at their school all freshmen must live in residence halls so that the school can continue orientation through the first semester. Dr. Jones, Coordinator of Student Personnel Services at Indiana State Teachers College stated that in the past thirty years there has been a "transition from an authoritarian attitude toward stu- dents to a genuine democratic participation with them in their edu- cational programs characterized by two new professional terms—- orientation and counseling." The following kinds of orientation practices to which orientation week directors should give leadership and support were listed and explained by Dr. Jones: 1. Freshmen Week—-period of time before class work begins during which a number of functions are performed to give an "appropri- ate interpretation of the college to the new student." 2. Orientation Courses-—sequence of meetings during one or more quarters or semesters for the purpose of helping students adjust to college life. 3. A series of courses such as library science and social orienta— tion, offered where it is impractical to attempt to combine all functions of orientation into one course. 4. Continuous counseling-~a system set-up to promote academic ad- justment. 5. Vocational orientation-~a means to assist in the shifting of students from one objective to another for the student's good or for the good of the profession in which he is interested. Dean Shutt of Marshall College pointed out in this conference that the orientation of a transfer student assumes two things, namely: (1) that he has previously received adequate orientation elsewhere, or (2) that he has not. It was brought out also in the discussion that followed Dean Shutt's remarks that a trend has been noticed toward changing the name from Freshmen Week to New Student Week. It was pointed out by Miss Beveridge of the English Department at the University of Illinois that our orientation programs do not take into consideration certain factors which concern the foreign stur dents who are coming in increasing numbers to our campuses and that a great deal of this orientation for them is carried on in their English classes. Dr. Heston from DePauw University reported on a survey of six col- leges, briefly summarized as follows: 1. Twenty per cent of the 200 freshmen surveyed at the University of Illinois thought the orientation pragram too long while 25 per cent said it should be longer. 22 2. The 459 freshmen surveyed at Lehigh University were in favor of a five—day program of six hours per day with three evenings free. 3. The East Texas College survey of 318 freshmen found 87 per cent feeling that the program was generally helpful. 4. In a Miami University survey of 1,060 freshmen, 96 per cent stated that the orientation program made them feel at home, and 55 per cent favored increasing the length of the program. 5. The 392 freshmen surveyed at Ohio State University felt that building friendship was the best feature of the program. 6. Eighty-three per cent of the 361 freshmen surveyed at Illinois Institute of Technology said that the orientation program was helpful. but only sixty per cent attended all sessions. Dr. Heston also reported that the NADAM Survey of 1942 of fifty schools gave the following rank order to the most important fea— tures of orientation: a. 40% Testing. b. 32% Registration. c. 16% Lectures and Assemblies. d. 6% Social Functions. 6. 4% Campus Tours. Nelson Orientation Test. An orientation test of knowledge and at- titudes was devised by Nelson26 with which he studied the effectiveness of freshmen orientation at fourteen colleges. With few exceptions he found that students in colleges with well-organized orientation courses or lecture programs made, on the average, higher scores for each part of the test than did students in colleges without orientation courses. Cornehlson Surv y. In this very limited study of five colleges and universities in 1947, Virginia Cornehlson27 attempted to determine briefly their orientation programs and procedures. Survey was made on limited data with no follow—up investigation carried out. A tendency was noted 26Erland Nelson, "The Effectiveness of Freshmen Orientation at Four- teen Colleges," School and Society, 55:138-9, January 31. 1952. 27Virginia Cornehlson. "Overview of Orientation," Journal 2: the ._—-_—-—_-———-———— 23 in this survey to assign small orientation groups to upper class coun- selors and to allow fewer advisees for each faculty adviser. MacKa m. MacKay28 wrote a master's thesis at the University of Colorado in 1949 on freshman and new-student orientation. He stated that this report was a "summary of the procedures employed in freshman and newsstudent orientation, testing, counseling and orientation courses-— as currently used in forty~seven colleges and universities with enroll- ments of 7,000 or more students." This survey attempted to determine orientation procedures experienced by students both prior to coming to the campus and after arrival on the campus. It also included orientation received in residence units and in follow-up lectures and courses. MacKay‘s recommendations on orientation follow:29 1. Any orientation program would start through the Office of Ad? missions . . . An official from that office should be a member of the orientation committee. 2. The preparation of a pictorial brochure about the college which is to be sent to prospective students and all state high schools is recommended. The programs of the orientation period should be attractively illustrated and easily read and understood. 3. It is recommended that the colleges cooperate with the second- ary schools in establishing some kind of a College Day . . . 4. A Freshman-Principal Conference should be held in the spring . . . as a means of establishing contact between high school principals and their former students . . . 5. It is recommended that an adviser for the student be assigned to the student before his arrival on the campus. . . . Per— sonal record blanks are to be sent to the student . . . imme- diately after his acceptance at the university . 6. The official responsible for the supervision of new students should be a member of the orientation committee. 7. A period of pre—registration and formal orientation is to be considered an essential . . . It is the writer's belief that a 28MacKay. gp. gi_t_.. 97 pp. 29Ibid. . pp. 67-75. 24 period of three days . . . is adequate for an orientation pro— gram before registration . . . 8. . . . new students and upperclassmen should be able to regis- ter together. 9. All student leaders . . . should be elected at the beginning of the spring term . . . This group of activity leaders should plan their activities for the first two weeks of the fall term before the spring session ends. 10. Enough upper—class group leaders should be available to divide the new students into groups of not more than thirty . . . 11. The faculty advisers should have some form of in—service train— ing. should be given (preferably) a reduction in their teachr ing loads . . . 12. Group meetings . . . should be held . . . within a month after registration to discuss the problems of registration in order to avoid making the same ones the next term . . . 13. The faculty advisers, student counselors and group leaders should arrive on the campus at least one day before the freshr men and new students. 14. Orientation and counseling should be provided in the residence units . . . Any student who is selected to be a student counr selor should be required to take a course to prepare him to meet his responsibilities as a counselor . . . 15. The orientation following the formal orientation period and registration should include such elements as courses. lectures. student discussions, skits and movies . . . 16. At the beginning of the winter and spring quarters freshmen and new students should be assigned an upperclassmen who acts as a leader for him at registration and the following week and aids in helping the student adjust himself to his new environ- ment. wypming Studies: Hendrix Stggy. A doctoral study submitted by Hendrix30 on “A Proposed Student Personnel Organization for the Univer- sity of wyoming" in 1949 offered much source material for this study on the deve10pment of the present personnel services at the University of wyoming. One of his recommendations applicable to orientation at the University of wyoming follows: A third member of the professional staff of the Admissions Ser- vice should be responsible for the orientation of new students. 3°Hendrix, 93. _c_i_t_., 115 pp. 25 This person should be responsible for the coordination of all ac- tivities engaged in by new students during new-student week. Ac- tivities coordinated should include fraternity and sorority rushing, activities centering in the residence halls, recreational activities, activities of student organizations, registration, testing, coun- seling, and, in fact, any activity requiring the time and interests of new students. Following new-student week. this official should be responsible for planning a series of activities designed to ori- ent the student more thoroughly to the educational environment of the University and the opportunities which this environment offers for his personal growth. Involved in this activity should be co- operation with the colleges in the development of orientation courses designed to familiarize students with college academic programs and procedures. Bookman Surv y. In a survey31 of 143 colleges and universities with enrollments between 1,000 and 3,000 students, Bookman found that 134 of these schools held pre-enrollment orientation practices. Her conclusions and recommendations follow: 1. An adequate testing program is a necessary part of orientation. 2. A properly planned and executed program on orientation does seem to fill a need; however, too many activities should not be attempted. A full week is recommended. 3. Counseling is a generally accepted technique for proper orien- tation of new students. 4. Colleges are generally only lukewarm in their use of the ori~ entation course. 5. A definite follow—up program should be instituted whereby re- sults of orientation would be studied first hand from the stu- dents themselves. Gentle Surv 1. An earlier survey of the existing personnel services at the University of wyoming by Miss Gentle32 in 1944 supplied additional early historical data for this study. Recommendations for a special ori— entation committee to be appointed from the new Personnel and Guidance Office were also made: BlBookman, gp. cit., 136 pp. 32Justine Gentle, A_Survey g: the Existing Personnel Services fig Offered by_the University 2: wyoming, 1244-45. Unpublished Master's Thesis. University of Wyoming. 1946, 107 pp. 26 In addition to counseling, there should be one or more persons on the staff qualified to direct the orientation and remedial work. . . . The entire program of freshmen orientation, beginning when the prospective student files his application for admission until he is thoroughly acquainted with and adjusts himself to the campus life, should be under the direction of the Personnel Office. Robertson Study. Factors contributing to non—enrollment of Wyoming high school seniors at the University of wyoming were studied by Robert- son33 in 1949. His conclusions are summarized below: 1. 2. 7. The Wyoming high school graduates in 1949 who propose to attend the University of Wyoming have college ability comparable to those who plan to attend other schools. Because of the fact that nearly 36 per cent of the high school graduates coming to the University of Wyoming are also in the lower quartiles, it would indicate that more attention should be given to helping students make appropriate educational plans. Over 60 per cent of those who plan to attend centers of the University of wyoming have above average ability to do college work. Approximately 49.5 per cent of the 1949 graduating wyoming high school seniors planned to enroll in some institution of higher learning and 41.9 per cent planned to enroll in the University of wyoming. Slightly over 21 per cent of the wyoming high school graduates were undecided with regard to their future educational plans. About 49 per cent of this group who are undecided could be con- sidered as being good college prospects. Some of the reasons (given by students for not desiring to at- tend the University of wyoming) are the following: financial considerations, inadequate nurses training, limitation in courses offered and desire for a shorter course. In general, the wyoming high school seniors' opinions of the quality of training offered by the University were quite high. Recommendations advanced by Robertson relative to increasing the University of wyoming freshmen enrollment were as follows: 1. The University should assist and encourage teachers and guidance personnel within the high schools in helping students make edu- cational plans commensurate with their ability. 33Robertson, 2p. £11.. 59 pp. 27 ’ 2. Because of the influence which parents and teachers often exer- cise in a student's selection of a school, further attempts should be made to foster a friendly relationship between the University and the people of the state. 3. Steps should also be taken to better acquaint the high school students of the state with the offerings and advantages of the University of wyoming. 4. An examination of the curriculum of the University should be made to ascertain if the University is actually meeting the needs of the students in the State of wyoming. 5. . . . (relative to nurses training, since installed). 6. Since many students express the desire for a shorter course in subjects such as commerce and vocational trades. and since this need is not being met within the state, the University should investigate the possibility of the establishment of such courses. The University of wyoming and the Development of its Student Personnel Services as they Pertain to Orientation Historical Background. A knowledge of the historical background of the University of wyoming is offered to give some insight into the prob— lems of orientation as they may be peculiar to the local situation. Probably one of the mast important reasons for the founding of the University of wyoming was the desire to insure for wyoming Territory the benefits of the Land Grant Act of 1881.3” The UniverSity of wyoming first Opened in 1887 with six faculty members and 42 students. wyoming, as the forty-fourth state, was admitted to the Union in 1890, three years after the University was founded. The four principal towns of wyoming Territory—-Cheyenne, Laramie City, Rawlins, and Evanston- were all located along the Union Pacific Railroad which extended along the southern edge of the new territory. Location of the state capitol and various territorial institutions was divided among these four towns 3“Velma Linford, wyoming, Frontier State. Denver, Colorado: Old West Publishing Company, 1947, pp. 299 and 313. ._ _..._ 28 T with the state university being placed in Laramie.35 A struggle ar0se concerning whether to retain the agricultural col- lege within the present university. This struggle was caused by sectional interests as the state grew and developed in other areas. The Hatch Act of 188? and the second Morrill Act of 1890 aided in developing and main- taining this tiny university serving a vast thinly populated state.36 In 1892, wyoming University pioneered in organizing adult education pro- grams within the state. Many of these programs used the facilities of x the agricultural college and served in enhancing its continuance in Lara- mie.37 Not until 1896 did students who were registered for regular college work at wyoming University exceed 100 in number. By 1906, the university enrollment had reached 200 students and over 300 by 1916. In 1921, slightly less than fifty per cent of the wyoming high school graduates going to college elected to attend their state university. Laramie's in— accessibility by railroad from the central and northern parts of the state undoubtedly influenced this low percentage. Enrollments at wyoming University first exceeded 1,000 in 1925 and 2,000 in 1941. Since 1946, enrollments exceeded 3,000 annually until 35R:uth Hudson, Here ig Wyoming. Laramie, wyoming: University of Wyoming publication, October, 1948, p. 7. 361bid., pp. 10 and 12. 371bid., p. 14. 29 1950 when WOrld war II veteran enrollment began to drop. The 1950-51 and 1951-52 enrollments have been slightly below the 3,000 figure.38 It was natural that emphasis in the new land grant colleges should be utilitarian. The six departments of the newly organized university offered.major emphasis in such "practical areas" as engineering, sciences and agriculture.39 Today, comprising nine colleges with 39 departments offering over 1,343 courses,“0 the University of wyoming has indeed grown more complex. Though.eighth among the states in size, wyoming is fortybseventh in papulation. In its 98,000 square miles there live 290.529 people or an average of only three peeple per square mile.”1 wyoming high schools graduated 2.779 seniors in 1952 with 1,280 (or 46.1%) enrolling in col- lege. Five hundred and fifty-three of those enrolling in college entered the state university.42 Total high school registration has increased to 13,855 pupils in 1952. This increase indicates also a gradual increase in university enrollment. Students entering the University of Wyoming find themselves a part of increasingly larger freshmen classes. In addition, they must make a 38Compiled from Statistical Summary, Registrar's Office. University of wyoming, 1952. 39Wilson 0. Clough, A Histogy 9_f_ the University 91‘ Wyoming. Univer— sity of wyoming publication, 1937, p. 37. mUniversity 9;; Wyoming, 1252 Catalogge, Vol. 49:1. University of 'Wyoming publication, 1952. 359 PP. ”1U. 8. Dept. of Commerce, Census ngulation, 125 , Part 59, wyoming. 'U. S. Govt. Printing Office, washington, 1952. 116 pp. “ZCollege of Education, High School Study 2§_Graduates for 125 . University of wyoming,'Unpublished report, Nevember, 1952, 16 pp. 3O choice of curriculum from more extensive course offerings. Orientation is necessary in bridging the gap from high school to college. from some- what fixed secondary courses to the more diversified college offerings. from small wyoming schools to the comparatively large campus of the state university. Development g£_Student Perggnngl Services §t_the'Univer§ity g£_flygr ping gazigg_lgplications fgg_0rientation. The develOpment of student personnel services on the wyoming University campus including the organi- zation of the present orientation program is of comparatively recent ori- gin. It was largely through the influence of June E. Downey of the Psyh chology Department that a program of testing all entering freshmen was initiated at the University of wyoming in 1919. The Thorndike Intelli- gence Examination was used from 1919 to 1928. Forms of the Ohio State Psychological Examination have been used continuously since 1929 “3 Freshman week was first organized on the wyoming campus in 1925 but was discontinued in 1932 because of lack of funds and interest. Many of the events scheduled at that time such as opening assembly, social mixers. testing. receptions, registrations and campus tours are still considered an essential part of orientation. .A personnel department was organized at wyoming University in 1927. The functions of this department included the testing and counseling of students. uBHendrix,‘gp.‘g;§., pp. 1-17. 31 The Office of Student Welfare was organized in 1934. Its functions were to assign students to work for which payment was made from funds administered by that office, to assist students in securing part-time and summer employment, and to provide coordination for the several loan funds administered on the campus. The Coordinating Committee appointed by the president's office in 194“ recommended the establishment of an Office of Student Personnel and Guidance for the University of wyoming.uu This office was to combine the major university personnel services of testing, counseling, guidance, stu- dent employment, health service, housing, student orientation, student records, remedial work, and such other allied fields as the needs arose. .An.Office of Student Personnel and Guidance was established on the University of wyoming campus effective July 1, 19h5. The Testing Service was transferred from the psychology department during the summer of 1945.1"5 The Student welfare Office changed its name to Student Employ— ment Office upon being placed.under Student Personnel and Guidance in 1946. The annual reportl‘b6 of the Office of Student Personnel and Guidance for 1945-46 mentions a two hour elective course in study skills and a two “”w; G. Solheim, J. R. MacNeel, and walter C. Reusser, Report g§_thg Coordinating Committee 2§,Personnel and Guidance §g_the Pregident. The ‘University of wyoming, Unpublished report, 1944, pp. 8h-5. 45Gentle’ EEO _g_i_t_0’ pp. 16.190 néwalter O. Reusser, Virginia Lynn, and Leo S. Arnoldi, Apppal.§gy port g§_the Office 2:,Student Personnel and Guidance for 1945-46. The ‘University of wyoming, Unpublished report, July 1, 1946, p. 10. 32 hour elective course in vocational orientation being taught by members of the personnel staff. Following the signing of a contract with the Veterans Administration for a Guidance Center on the'University campus, a Veterans Appraiser and a Veterans Relations Office were added to the personnel program. Upon the termination of the contract with the Veterans Administration in 1949, the veterans appraiser was retained in.personnel as head of testing services. The Developmental Study Report of 19h9h7 proposed that a Division of Student Affairs be set up and be responsible for the coordination and supervision of all student activities. organizations. and personnel serv4 ices not immediately associated with academic instruction. It further proposed that an affiliate relationship be maintained between this Divi- sion and the Office of Registrar and Admissions, the.Associated Students of the University of wyoming. the.Associated Women Students, and the flyo- ming Union Managing Committee. A.Division of Student Affairs Council was installed January 1. 1950 with a rotating chairmanship between the par- ticipating office of Student Personnel and Guidance. Health Service. Dean of Men. Dean of Women. and Veterans Relations. Th§.Present'University gf'Wyomigg Orientation Program. The present orientation committee effected in 1945 is composed of a faculty represent— ative. an administration representative actively in charge of orientation “7Robert H. Bruce. walter C. Reusser, and Ruth Hudson. The Univer- sity 2g.Wyoming Developmental Study. A preliminary'unpublished report submitted Fall. 1948. The University of wyoming,.Article X. Sec. 8:61-70. 33 from the Office of Student Personnel and Guidance. and two appointed student body representatives selected from the Student Senate.’+8 The yearly re-organization of the orientation committee on the Uni- versity of wyoming campus takes place following the spring student body elections. Outgoing members are asked to sit in on the spring meeting to brief their incoming colleagues on their committee duties. Sub-commit- tees are also organized to plan and arrange the details for programming, steak fry, student entertainment, transportation to the steak fry picnic, and the various aspects of the campus social activities for the fall ori- entation program. Letters are sent to all groups who will participate in the fall orientation program indicating their time and place on the pro- gram. Interested participating group leaders are encouraged to attend these orientation committee meetings to discuss their part in the program. Activities considered as a part of fall orientation at the Univer— sity of wyoming include the opening assembly, testing. meeting college advisers, registration, freshmen assembly. college tours. church group meetings or socials, student mixers. Painting the school letter. oper- ating an information booth, freshmen-sophomore tug—o-war. pep assembly, freshmen steak fry, independent students stunt night program. all school mixer, library open house. and the fraternity—sorority rushing parties. Incorporating all these activities into orientation. endeavoring to make the incoming student feel a part of the school through added understand? ing of all its functions. and still to maintain emphasis upon academic 48Charles H. Thompson, Evaluatipg the 1251 Orientation Week Program 23 the University pf wyoming. Unpublished report, the University of wyoming. 1951. p. l. 3“ standards of the university becomes the function of the committee on ori- entation. Summary of the Chapter The concensus of writer Opinions points to the need for an adequate orientation program in today's school. This program appears to be here to stay as an integral part of the school services to the incoming new student. Such a program usually includes (1) presentation of school his- tory, (2) information about school rules and regulations. (3) assistance in registration, (4) campus familiarization, (5) official welcoming to the campus. (6) school activities and organizations. and (7) faculty counseling. The national study of Knode in 1928 influenced the present study in determining its methodology and procedure. It is felt that a comparison of this study with Knode's will indicate trends over the last 23 years. MacKay's study of universities with enrollments ranging from 7.000 to 10.000 also had considerable influence in determining the methodology of the present survey. Previous studies at the University of wyoming exploring various as— pects of student personnel activities have influenced the present study. Many of these previous studies have included consideration of orientation and offered suggestions for better practices. The University of wyoming, a land grant college, was founded in 1887 in.Laramie. This cite is in the southeastern section of the thinly popu- lated state. The growth of the university has been slow until recent years. From a single college encompassing all courses and administration, 35 the university has grown to a size commensurate with similar institutions of higher learning in nearby states. Today, over 3,000 students are en— rolled in nine colleges at the university. Over 1,300 courses are of- fered. The increasing complexity of the University of wyoming has inr creased its need for orientation. particularly since many students come from small towns. Orientation Week for entering new students was first instituted in 1925 at the University of wyoming, dropped in 1932 because of the lack of funds and was re-instituted again in 1945. The present orientation committee at this school is composed of an appointed faculty represent- ative. an administration representative (from the Office of Student Per- sonnel and Guidance). and two student members appointed from the elected Student Senate. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY.AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY Student Opinion evaluating orientation often does not come to the attention of university officials concerned. Yet student approval is important and somewhat a measure of the success of the orientation pro— gram. Research is necessary to determine specifically the nature of stu- dent reaction to orientation. For this reason, a normative survey was made at the University of wyoming to determine student evaluation of the orientation procedures used on that campus. 1 o 1 0 were conSldered in this The seven criteria suggested by Reeder study. These criteria briefly are (l) novelty of the problem, (2) the investigator‘s interest in the problem, (3) practical value of research on the problem to the investigator and others. (4) the investigator‘s special qualifications to attack the problem. (5) availability of data on the problem, (6) cost of investigating the problem. and (7) the time required for the investigation of the problem. The worthwhileness of the problem was determined through a canvass of available related studies and was discussed in the preceding chapter. The second and fourth criteria of Reeder are met in the investigator's personal background as a member of the staff of the Office of Student Personnel and Guidance at the University of wyoming and his appointive 1Ward F. Reeder. How pp_write.§,Thesis. Bloomington, Illinois: Public School Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 23-26. 37 p0sition as administrative representative on that college's orientation committee. This research should be of value to the University of wyoming in improving orientation procedures. It should also be of value to other colleges and universities judging from the rather large number of these schools requesting survey findings. Availability of data for part of this study was made through the whole-hearted cooperation of the Office of Student Personnel and Guidance and the Department of English at the University of wyoming. In addition, the colleges and universities canvassed were most helpful in supplying information about their orientation programs. The time and cast involved in this investigation were carefully considered prior to its undertaking and deemed not too great. Sampling Procedures Employed in This Study According to Johnson2 "few studies in educational research can be set up to utilize the entire papulation." Hence, to define a sample of the population from which conclusions and recommendations can be made for the entire population is of primary concern in this survey. The populations with which this survey was concerned were those of (l) wyo— ming high school seniors planning on attending their state university, (2) University of wyoming freshmen, and (3) colleges and universities 2Walter F. Johnson. A Stu dy_ of Certain Factors for Predicting -———-—_-———_.__ Minnesota. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota. January. 1950, p. 36. 38 throughout the United States of a size comparable to the University of wyoming. Recent Eyppipg pigp school graduates. Wyoming is a very sparsely pOpulated state supporting only one university. There are also in wyo- ming three small community centers sponsored jointly by the university and the community and one city-supported Junior college. The state has 88 accredited high schools3 with approximately 3.000 graduating seniors as shown in Figure l. The number of new students entering the Junior college and three university centers each year is approximately another 200. All Nyoming high school seniors were contacted during this survey and those considering entering the University of wyoming were requested to fill out a questionnaire stating their Opinions on college orientation u was secured at the same practices. Information on this questionnaire time that all state high school seniors were filling'out University Infor- mation Blanks and in the process of taking senior tests (Ohio State Uni- versity PsycholOgical Test. Cleeton Vocational Interest Inventory. and Iowa High School Content Examination). These tests were administered through the Testing Service of the Office of Student Personnel and Guid- ance in conjunction with the university Office of Community Service. Table I indicates the extent of the coverage of this survey among the schools Of the state. the number of seniors contacted and the total possible wyoming‘University enrollees. Out of 2.630 high school seniors 3See Appendix for listing Of accredited Wyoming High Schools. ”See Appendix B for cOpy of high school questionnaire. 39 wsocaoape. wagon»; mo $38545 . gnaw Madmen»: 0 seem MO .300 mom new: magnum wsawwwfiogsom mo soapsoog motponu @389? me. madam -..... _ cs . m. _ 1.... H2398 madam. 3 mg. a . . as as _ has... .9. __ ._.Mmsmm mm 9338 mmm _ naoonom mkmt ._ _. naoomom Qm we... a. 1 _ ... es _ s as sh 7.5:? Mennoojvlnunh _ b ”cm a ....Il nnoHom 13m _. .3"de .. m use“ w me n naoonom 3m _. A on: one _ _ 38%.... a3 _ . one “mam mm was: messes: _ _ ._ reason cad .mudm .munm _ mo . _ ._ maoonow QM mma an . $25 _l.l..l. l.l.l._|.....4!.l..l..ls..umF till. .mgom ..mflow ~. 53. ..l..|.|!..l..li...c...:.m.# f F. m e. m s ..l.l.l _ . one 0.8 . 1.1....u\sw_!|1im.tmw_ Auoamsov _ 9m: *mém _ 203mm 0.... m _ .— owoaaoo season .1 magnum o: /./ maoomom «\H _ ammommdmm can afmm as: mama _ naoonom 30 c2. _ h an ._ aoasem mm 3033 mmm , a, . _ uaooeom _ 38%.... «\m naoonom «\N __ _. interim...” N.\N._ . /.r. ...!L «5523...! l!.||.llu.u.mi3 _|.....I|||I|| |.|«Izeg ..Illlknllfil .ro.|..M..lJ '— . i. _ . innit... _ 0km: $homm _ _ _ Ohflbmm Jrl.luwH°Ogom H\H ..IV 285.: _ 0%: $000M“ 53:235.. . .naoonom «\m . on: menu _ one was: _ naooeom N .w§.;l_ Search Mnfloonom awe _ .35? unedaom museum on .lnllillll. . .s ................ Ililll _ o N m ml 9? aflmm _ «cameo Sop. _ its. _ x. has... as _ as... an . on»: $56..” _ N\NT.II..wI.IIuiam.E. ...! ... mdoonom m\m--....v season em . _ o a an s . /. _ ... _ " Hoonom m\m _ whoanow mod A She /. _ ... n _.a _ _ aaoomom 3m $33 ......L ._ stoma _ ‘1 ..III noose..— dunnB‘oI—xlj .- 53 5|.I:1 . . x5... ,r1n “28333”... H glam 40 TABLE I DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPATING WYOMING HIGH SCHOOLS SHOWING POSSIBLE WYOMING UNIVERSITY ENROLLEES J H High Possible Per Cent “yoming County Seat Schools School wyoming to Counties Coptacted Graduates Eproliees flyo. Univ. 1 Albany Laramie 3/ 3 136 73 511.7 2 Big Horn Basin 8/8 193 62 32.1 3 Campbell Gillette 2/2 #6 27 58.? a Carbon Rawlins 8/9 102 49 95.0 5 Converse Douglas 2/2 53 19 35.8 6 Crook Sundance 3/3 2“ h 16.7 7 Fremont Lander 6/6 170- 5b 31.8 8 Goshen Torrington 6/8 138 29 21.0 9 Hot Springs Thermopolis 1/1 as 12 26.7 10 Johnson Buffalo 2/2 50 9 18.0 11 Laramie Cheyenne 8/8 355 102 28.7 12 Lincoln Hemmerer 3/3 120 26 25.5 13 Hatrona Casper 2/2 239 #6 19.2 14 Niobrara Lusk 2/ 2 59 18 30.5 15 Park Cody 3/3 153 31 20.3 16 Platte Wheatland 4/5 7h lb 18.9 17 Sheridan Sheridan 5/6 195 69 34,9 18 Sublette Big Piney 1/2 10 2 20.0 19 Sweetwater Green River 5/5 249 43 17.6 20 Teton Jackson 1/1 20 a 20.0 21 Uinta Evanston 3/3 88 26 29.5 22 Washakie Worland 2/ 2 61 22 36.1 23 Weston Newcastle 2/2 1.8 16 33.3 Totals 82/88 2630 7% 28.3 41 contacted in this survey. 743 questionnaires were completed by those stu- dents considering attendance at the University of wyoming. These 743 responses indicated that slightly over 28 per cent of the graduating seniors planned to continue their education at wyoming University. The Admissions Office at the University Of wyoming reported 735 new students accepted for enrollment in 1951. Six hundred and two of these entering students were wyoming high school graduates. These 602 in—state freshmen represent 81 per cent of those signifying their intentions to attend the University of wyoming as shown from the survey Of the preced- ing winter. The percentage of those attending the university from the state would be still higher if transfer students from the state's junior college and the community centers were included. College freshmen §£_§pp_University pf wyomipg. College freshmen Opinions on orientation practices at the University Of wyoming were Ob- tained through questionnaires.5 A fairly complete sampling was made possible by having the English Department at the University administer these questionnaires to all their regularly enrolled students present in Freshmen English, which is a required course. The 526 (or 85.4%) of the registered freshmen who answered this poll was ninety short of the Ob- tained enrollment figures from the Registrar‘s Office. NO attempt was made to secure response from the ninety not participating in the survey. The response of 526 was considered to represent an adequate sampling. Table II indicates the distribution by colleges within the univer- sity of the freshmen contacted in this poll. The breakdown by colleges 5See Appendix C for copy of the college freshman questionnaire. 42 TABLE II DISTRIBUTION BY COLLEGES OF FRESHMEN POLLED ON COLLEGE ORIENTATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING Per Cent Surveyed College Enrolled Freshmen Per Cent Participating in Freshmen6 Survgyed Surggyed Orientatigpg_ Liberal Arts" 194 150 77.3 95.0 Agriculture 126 92 73.0 91.6 Engineering 117 101 86.3 93.8 Education 110 90 81.8 93.5 Pro-Law (Law) 13 10 76.9 100.0 Commerce 84 58 69.0 94.6 Pharmacy 17 13 82.4 92.4 nursing 12 12 100.0 91.6 Totals 616** 526 85.4 93.4 ! Less Pro-Law and Nursing freshmen who were tabulated separately. ** 57 withdrawals during the school term were not shown by college. 6Compiled from Statistical Summary. 1251-2 , Office of the Registrar. University of wyoming. October. 1952. p. 38. . .r- 43 indicates that all schools within the university were covered in the initial survey, but that the percentage of coverage was somewhat low in several of the colleges. Participation in orientation procedures by those polled was extensive as is shown in Table II. The University of Wyoming includes the following colleges: Liberal Arts,.Agriculture and Heme Economics. Engineering. Education. Law. Come merce and Industry, Pharmacy, Graduate School, and Adult Education and Community Service. The latter two schools or colleges were not listed in these tables. having no freshmen students regularly enrolled or on the campus. The freshmen students taking a pre-legal curriculum were included under the category Of Law School in this study, while the nurs- ing school freshmen trainees were included under the Division Of Nursing. Selection pf colleges 23d universities _i_‘_9_r_ national survey _O_I: 933;- entation.practices. College orientation practices throughout the United States. Alaska and Hawaii in schools similar in size to the University Of wyoming were surveyed in this study. The 128 selected institutions7 for the most part fell within the 2.000-5.000 enrollment bracket8 and gave national coverage. Exceptions to this enrollment bracketing were made for the few states or territories having no school within the limits of the enrollment figures established for the study. In the state of Minnesota, the school chosen was slightly below the 2.000 enrollment fig- ure as enrollment in the state university was many times larger. The two 7See Appendix D for listing of schools. their locations and 1951 enrollments. 8Office of Education. Federal Security.Agency. Fall Enrollments-3g Higher Educational Institutions, Circular 328, 1951. 30 pp. 4U territorial universities were also included in order to give an indica— tion of orientation practices within those two territories petitioning to become states within the union. Institutions of higher learning contacted in this survey were first selected according to size and then divided according to type of school.9 Division according to types of schools included the following categories: kind of school-duniversity, college, or technological; kind of student bodyb-co-educational, all men, or all women; kind of endowment-public or private; kind of racial group--negro or white. Postcard questionnaires10 were sent out to the 128 schools selected for this survey. These postcard questionnaires served as an initial sur- vey on orientation practices and furnished the names of individuals to be contacted later for the more detailed survey on orientation practices within the college. Table III shows the breakdown of the 110 (or 85.9%) of the 128 schools replying to this initial postcard survey. 11 were sent to these 110 institu- More comprehensive questionnaires tions and to the remaining 18 that failed to answer the initial postcard questionnaire. Table IV shows the breakdown according to type on the 108 (or 84.3%) answering the final type questionnaire on orientation. The seven negro schools answering either or both questionnaires were included also under the headings of school. support, and student body. 3A. J. Brumhaugh (ed). American'Universities and Colleges. washe ington: .American Council on.Education. l9fi8, 1052 pp. 10SeeAppendix E for copy of pastcard questionnaire used. 11See Appendix F for cepy of college orientation information ques- tionnaire. TABLE III “5 TYPES OF SCHOOLS SURVEYED IN INITIAL QUESTIONNAIRE Type of School Type of Support Kind of Student Body Universities 53 Public 59 Co—ed 89 Colleges 4? Private 51 All Men 19 Technological 10 All Women 2 Totals 110 110 110 TABLE IV TYPES OF SCHOOLS SURVEYED IN FINAL ORIENTATION SURVEY Type of School Type of Support Kind of Student Body Universities 52 Public 59 Co—ed 90 Colleges nu Private 49 All Men 17 Technological 12 All women 1 Totals 108 108 108 46 Table V indicates the number of schools responding to the two ques- tionnaires. Ninety-four (or 73.u%) of the institutions answered both forms of the questionnaire submitted to them while 123 out of the 128 schools (or 96.1%) responded to one or the other of the two forms. TABLE V COLLEGE ORIENTATION QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSE Number Per Cent Questionnaire of of Replies Replies Initial postcard 110 85.9 Final type questionnaire 108 84.3 Nb response to either form 5 3.9 Responded to both questionnaires 94 73.4 The present survey has been influenced by procedures used in other studies on orientation. The common practice has been followed of sub- dividing orientation into pre—enrollment orientation, "freshmen week". and other orientation practices. Population areas considered in this study are: pre—college students. college freshmen. and colleges on a national coverage. Construction of the Questionnaires Rough drafts of the questionnaires were submitted to the members of the study committee. to fellow staff members in personnel and guidance at the University of wyoming. to guidance men in nearby high schools. and to peOple involved in orientation at neighboring colleges and universities. 147 Many of their suggestions and recommendations were incorporated into the final forms of the questionnaires. The resulting questionnaire forms (see Appendices B. C. E. and F) were thus a composite of collective think- ing relative to orientation. The questionnaires early took the form of check-lists rather than lengthy opinion-type questions. This form was more readily adaptable to coding for machine tabulation. thereby speeding up compilation and anal- ysis of the data. The mechanical limitations of the IBM cards were con- sidered carefully in the allocation of card space to various criteria. Pilot studies were run on the college questionnaires at the Univer- sities of Colorado. Denver. and Utah. Very helpful suggestions for im- proving form and content resulted from this initial use of the questionr naire. A trial run on the questionnaire for college freshmen was con- ducted in an orientation class on the University of wyoming campus. The high school senior questionnaire was first tried on seniors in the Uni- versity of wyoming Preparatory High School. Changes were made as a re- sult of weaknesses noted in these trial studies before the final forms of the questionnaires were constructed. High school senior Questionnaire.12 This questionnaire attempted to secure reactions toward orientation practices from students planning on continuing their education at the University of wyoming. Question 1 re- quested the name of the high school which the respondent was attending in order to compile information related to each particular school, county 12See Appendix B for a copy of the high school questionnaire. u8 or area in the state. The second question asked for a listing of influ- ences causing him to plan to attend the state university. The next seven questions (3 to 9, inclusive) all pertain to pre- college orientation practices. such as visits by University officials. campus tours by their class. senior day at wyoming. campus visits. pre- college advisement. and university printed materials received. The last question on this form contains an outline of the tentative orientation program at the University of wyoming inviting the high school seniors to indicate those activities liked or disliked. The form of this question was similar to the one used on both the Wyoming University fresh- men study and on the national college survey. Parts not understood by high school seniors could either be marked "no comment” or left blank. College freshmen guestionnaire.13 The college freshmen questionnaire was concerned with the worthwhileness of individual parts of the entire wyoming freshmen orientation program. The first question on curriculum being pursued by the individual was inserted in order to ascertain if complete coverage of all the uni- versity colleges was attained. It was also desired to find out how ef- fective orientation procedures were according to the college in which the student was enrolled. Students were queried on the specific parts of the orientation pro- gram to give evaluation of worthwhileness and extent of their participa- tion in orientation. 13See Appendix C for a copy of the college freshmen questionnaire. 49 The last questions in this survey were devoted mainly to college freshmen analysis of pre-school orientation experiences. Students were asked whether the orientation procedure in general had made them feel a part of the school. It should be noted that some of the questions in the college fresh- men questionnaire were somewhat similar with these on the high school form. This enabled comparison of student Opinion on orientation both before and after engaging in orientation activities. College survey questionnaires 23 orientation.1u Knode's plan15 of first sending out a postcard questionnaire followed by a more lengthy questionnaire on orientation practices was used in the present study. The postcard survey of colleges confined itself to general questions on orientation, such as whether an orientation program was conducted in the school and if so. its duration and the name of the person actively in charge. Other questions asked in this initial postcard survey related to pro-enrollment contacts by officials. pre-enrollment advisement. foreign student orientation, pro-school indoctrination meetings for new faculty. general orientation courses and "Career Conference Days”. This informa~ tion was then compiled. analysed and sent back to all schools at the same time the final type questionnaire was sent out. (See Appendix G for cover letter submitted with final type questionnaire.) 1Ll'See Appendices E and F for copies of college questionnaires used. 15Knode. _p. git., p. 30. he . a l " ';__‘-‘-9-I-— A 50 The final type orientation questionnaire was divided into three parts for this study. Part one was on pre-registration orientation and had questions both on materials requested from and sent new students. It also had questions on pre-school contacts. pre-school advisement. and high school sponsored activities held on the campus. Some of these ques- tions overlapped the ones asked on the postcards but this was necessary in order to cover schools not previously responding as well as to gain more detailed information. Part two of this questionnaire related to freshmen orientation pro- grams in the colleges surveyed. The colleges were asked to evaluate var- ious parts of a typical orientation program. Other questions asked in this part of the questionnaire dealt with length of orientation. compul- sory attendance at orientation activities. type of entrance examinations given. social functions. religious activities, mid-year orientation, the attitude of the school toward fraternity-sorority rushing during orien- tation. the representation on the general orientation committee. and the evaluation by this committee on the schoolis present orientation prac- tices. The last part of this questionnaire was concerned with general ori- entation practices within the institution. Questions related to pre— school indoctrination programs for new instructors. general orientation courses. foreign student orientation practices. college career day pro- grams and contemplated changes in the general orientation program. A request for results on any orientation studies carried on in the school as well as for cOpies of orientation programs was made. 51 .Analysis of the Data Thg_cogprehensiveness.gf Egg gtugz. Data for this investigation were gathered over a wide area. -High schools answering the questionnaire represented all parts of the state of wyoming as well as the different sizes of secondary schools within the state. College freshmen contacted at the University of wyoming represented all of the colleges within the school. In the survey of colleges and universities within the United States an attempt was made to include all types of schools within the size bracket selected. The questions sent to high school seniors. to college freshmen. and to the 2.000-5.000 sized institutions were similar in nature so that com— parisons in results could be established. The collection. compilation and analysis of data for this study has continued over a two-year period. The time factor involved has been of possible value in providing a longer perspective on the data. This study. in general. has employed two kinds of analyses: (1) a detailed analysis of each of the three areas surveyed individually and apart from each other-~that is. wyoming high school student Opinion. wyoming University freshmen Opinion, and national college orientation practices; and (2) comparisons among the three areas to identify common trends and differences. Extensive use has been made of tables to present results of the study. Whenever possible the tables have followed the same format to present results found in each of the three areas. This similarity of format should make comparisons among the groups easier. 52 On the national college survey a particular effort was made to eval- uate extent and evaluation of certain controversial kinds of orientation practices. It was found that the trial surveys gave considerable infor- mation in identifying those areas in orientation about which there was debate as to necessity and value. Some of the controversial problems relate to orientation for transfer students, length of orientation. fra— ternity~sorority rushing during orientation, the general orientation course, and orientation for foreign students. CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS OF ORIENTATION PRACTICES AT SELECTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING WITH ENROLLMENTS BETWEEN 2.000 AND 5.000 One of the major purposes of the present study was to determine typ- ical orientation procedures in colleges of a size comparable to that of the University of wyoming. It was hOped to identify trends in orienta- tion that prevailed in most of the colleges surveyed. It was also hoped to discover whether there were pronounced areas of deviation in orienta- tion practices among the institutions of higher learning examined. To secure this information. an initial postcard questionnaire on ori- entation practices followed by a more lengthy questionnaire was sent to the 128 colleges and universities in the United States which were selected for study. Most of these were within the 2.000 to 5.000 enrollment brack- et and thus were roughly comparable in size to the University of wyoming with its 2,823 students. However. seven schools solicited were under the 2.000 minimum enrollment limit which was established for this survey in order to include all 48 states in the study.1 Enrollment in the 123 colleges from whom questionnaires were received is indicated in Table VI. As may be noted, the modal figure is in the 2.000-2.999 grouping, where the University of wyoming also is placed, while the median enrollment figure also falls in this group. The average 1See Appendix D for listing of institutions surveyed. 54 enrollment of 2.97# for schools surveyed is likewise comparable to the enrollment at the University of wyoming. TABLE VI ENROLLMENTS OF COLLEGES SURVEYED Enrollment Frequency Per Cent 1 ~ 999 1 .8 1000 - 1999 6 M9 2000 - 2999 58 1&7.2 3000 - 3999 35 28.4 14000 - 11.999 23 18.7 Totals 123 100.0 One hundred and ten replies to the postcard questionnaire2 were re- ceived, while 108 schools answered the more comprehensive questionnaire3 which followed the initial postcard inquiry. Information reported in this chapter is based on results from both of these questionnaires. Pre-College Orientation In many of the colleges surveyed some form of orientation is pro- vided before the students make even their preliminary applications for 2See Appendix E for copy of postcard questionnaire. 3See Appendix F for copy of college orientation questionnaire. 55 college admission. Many of the colleges offer services to students while they are still in high school-services that give information and under- standing to the student about college life. In Table VII are listed activities which the reporting colleges in- dicated to some extent have the function of orienting high school students to college life. Many of these activities, of course, have other impor- tant functions in addition to introducing the students to the college campus. In Table VIII the number of these orientation activities sponsored by the various schools is summarized. The range of sponsored activities varied from none to eight with both the modal group and the median list— ing two activities. This table also indicates that 10 per cent of the schools answering this question engage in no sponsored high school activ- ities during the school year to encourage high school groups to visit their campuses. The nature of these "pre-freshmen" orientation practices varies con- siderably from college to college. No doubt high school students who participate in programs offered by the colleges are not particularly aware that they are being orientated to college life. Nevertheless the programs offered by colleges present to high school students first and probably vivid impressions of the nature of college life. A high school student visiting a college is likely not only to consider whether he wants to go to college or not, but also to construct in his own mind some concept of how he might fit into and adapt himself to the college environment. Forty-one of the colleges sponsor a program for high school students that is specifically one of pre—college orientation. This type program is TABLE VII TYPES OF PRE-COLLEGE ACTIVITIES HELD ON CAMPUS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 56 Per Cent Activity Frequency‘ of Frequency High School Visitation Day 41 19.3 Forensics. Speech. Drama 23 10.9 Music or Piano Festivals 18 8.5 Athletic Meets 27 12.8 Band Day, Band Clinics 12 5.? Boys or Girls State # 1.9 District Scout Meetings 2 .9 Ag or Home Ec Conferences 17 8.1 Principal and Guidance Meetings 4 1.9 Academic Meetings 6 2.8 High School Proms and Dances 5 2.# Journalism Meets 13 6.1 Placement Examinations 1 .5 College Day or Career Day 10 4.7 Junior.Academy of Science. Fairs 6 2.8 Department Conferences 9 1.9 UNESCO Conference 2 .9 Conference of HS Student Councils 3 1.4 Cheer Leader or Twirling Clinic 2 .9 High School Girls Play Day h 1.9 Play Festival 2 .9 Senior Parties and Picnics 3 1.4 Parents Day 2 .9 Radio Broadcasts 1 .5 *212 activities were mentioned by the 108 colleges. 57 TABLE VIII NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HELD ON CAMPUS ‘ T Number of Activities Number of Schools Per Cent of Schools None 8 10.0 1 16 20.0 2 21 26.2 3 13 16.2 4 7 8.7 5 8 10.0 6 3 3.8 7 3 3.8 8 l 1.3 Totals 80 100.0 given such names as "High School Senior Day", "Campus Tours". "Campus Day“. and "Open House". It is recognized also that another purpose of this kind of activity is to encourage enrollment in the sponsoring school. Nevertheless this kind of pre-college introduction to the campus does of- fer the student valuable information in the way of general orientation to the sponsoring institution. Another college-sponsored activity for high school students is the drama and speech festivals. Twenty-three colleges state that they offer such programs. Drama and speech festivals have great value in offering insight into some of the more serious and more educational and cultural aspects of college life. Music festivals have many of the advantages of drama and speech fes- tivals in orientating the student to the college environment. Eighteen 58 schools indicate that they sponsor this activity. Occasionally music festivals involve some actual training of high school students by members of the college music department. Thus high school students may be intro- duced to teachers under whom they will later be working in college. A number of other activities having considerable value in orientating high school students to college were fairly prevalent. Thirteen schools sponsor programs for high school journalists. Twelve present either band "day" or band clinics. High school basketball tournaments. wrestling meets, tennis tournaments, and track meets are held in 27 schools. Col- lege day or career days are held in 10 colleges. Conferences relating to science are sponsored by six colleges. Other kinds of activities held in some of the colleges which doubtlessly have some value in orientating high school students to campus life include: home economics programs. conferences of student councils, 4—H Club meetings. FHA meetings and FTA meetings. High school principals and guidance association meetings are held in four schools and might conceivably relate back to better under— standing between the college and the high school staffs. Most of the colleges surveyed require that certain materials be sub— mitted giving information about the applicant for enrollment before he may be accepted for admission. Presumably, among the several uses to be made of this information, one would be to offer a basis for planning ori- entation. The better the understanding there is of the incoming student, the more likely it seems that a suitable orientation program may be planned. Table XIX lists the typical entrance materials requested by the schools prior to admission for enrollment. 59 TABLE IX ENTRANCE MATERIALS REQUESTED PRIOR TO ADMISSION Per Cent Entrance Data Required Frequency of Mentioned‘ 108 Schools High School Transcript 107 99.1 Principal's rating 75 69.4 Health Certificate 55 50.9 Personal data sheet 86 79.6 Other: Residence Certificates A.C.E. test scores Achievement test scores College aptitude test Parent’s trip permit Application for admission Personal interview Letters of recommendation College entrance board examination Application‘picture ROTC questionnaire Educational objective Rank in class Pastor's recommendation No response (1) - weighted score 3 3.1 * The 108 schools listed 367 requirements. 60 One hundred and seven schools require that transcripts of high school records be submitted before admission. Not only do transcripts help de- termine whether the applicant is eligible for admission, but they also offer a basis for planning a suitable college program for him. A.specific example of the use of a high school transcript in an orientation procedure might be to make sure that a particular high school student who had evi— denced skill in scientific subjects was well informed of the Opportunities for various kinds of scientific specialization in college. It should be noted, of course, that the present study has not attempted to ascertain whether such materials as high school transcripts are being used in plan- ning orientation programs. In addition to high school transcripts, other information is required by many of the colleges. Personal data sheets must be submitted in 86 or approximately 80 per cent of the colleges responding to this item. Sev- enty-five colleges require principal's ratings. Health certificates are a prerequisite to admission in 55 of the colleges. Other materials re- quired in some of the colleges include: residence certificates, test scores, parent's trip permit, personal interview, application picture, letters of recommendation, pastor's recommendation, ROTC questionnaire, and other such items. After a student has been accepted, he is ordinarily sent various ma- terials, some of which.have value in orientation procedure. Table X lists materials sent to students accepted for admission. Although the present survey did not attempt to ascertain the exact nature of these materials, it is evident that many of them have the specific intent to aid in the orientation of students to college life. 61 TABLE X MATERIALS SENT STUDENTS ACCEPTED FOR ADMISSION Per Cent Materials Sent Out Frequency of Mentioned* 104 Schgols Permission to Register 91 87.5 Entrance Credit Statement 44 42.3 Orientation Program .7 79 76.0 Map of Campus ‘ 56 53.8 Map of City 16 15.4 Listing of Churches 29 27.9 Complete listing of fees 59 56.7 School Catalogue 91 87.5 School regulations 46 44.2 Room assignment** 74 71.2 Student Handbook 60 57.? Faculty adviser letter 10 9.6 Dean of Men or women letter 90 86.5 I Other materials: General information sheet Letter from honor societies Scholarship booklet Letter from counselor to parents Student employment information Invitation to parents to Copy of school newspaper attend matriculation Physical examination appointment Letter from college president or school dean Letter from student government Degree requirements Fraternity-sorority interest card Letter from Director of Admissions Contract for room and board Letter from Big Sister or Big Brother Freshmen course of study Name and address of roommate Registration number and schedule ROTC & Selective Service information Personal data sheet *The 104 schools answering this question frequently listed more than one item. *‘Three schools stated that they had no dormitories. 62 If these materials were not sent, it seems likely that the student's induction into college life would be more difficult. Such materials as map of the campus, room assignment, listing of fees, school catalogue, listing of churches, school regulations, and student handbook offer nec- essary information to assist in satisfactory adjustment of the student to the campus environment. Pre-registration campus advisement is offered by 84 per cent of the schools as indicated by Table XI. The nature of this advisement varies with the college, with the mast prevalent type being individual counsel- ing. TABLE XI SCHOOLS HAVING FEE-REGISTRATION CAMPUS ADVISEMENT Those Answering Per Cent Answering Number ofggchools Yegg No Yes No 106 89 17 84.0 16.0 How handled? Individual counseling 54 60.7 High school clinics 2 2.2 High school visits 7 7.9 Adviser conference 4 4.5 Registrar conference 15 16.9 College Days 1 1.1 Individual request 4 4.5 No response 2 2.2 Totals 89 100.0 63 A further breakdown of these pre—registration advisement services is also shown in Table XI. Some of the listings seem quite similar to individual counseling, such as adviser conference, registration confer- ence, and individual request. Two other somewhat different types of ad- visement that a small minority of the colleges state they offer are high school visits and "college days". Still another type listed, but by only 2.2 per cent, which is suggestive of a comprehensive and thorough advise— ment, is the high school counseling clinic. From Table XII it will be seen that 18 of the colleges surveyed, or about 17 per cent, state that they provide home pre-registration visits for incoming freshmen. Although the nature of these visits is not de- scribed, it is likely that they serve the purpose. in part, of orientat- ing the student to problems arising relative to college adjustment. TABLE XII SCHOOLS HAVING HOME FEE-REGISTRATION VISITS Number Per Cent Those stating “Yes" 18 16.? Those stating "No" 86 79.6 No response 4 3.7 Totals 108 100.0 64 The Freshman Orientation Program The directorship of the orientation program was delegated to various officers in the colleges surveyed. In 25 per cent of the colleges, as indicated in Table XIII, either the registrar or director of admissions (and sometimes both) was in charge of the orientation program. In as- signing this responsibility to the registrar's office, the philosophy seems to be implied that not only should this office be responsible for selecting students suitable for admission, but also for insuring that they are given the proper start in college life. TABLE XIII TITLES OF OFFICIALS DIRECTING ORIENTATION Officials Frequency Per Cent Dean of Freshmen or Lower Division 5 4.6 Dean of Men or Dean of women 10 9.3 Registrar and/or Director of Admissions 27 25.0 Dean of Administration 8 7.4 Director of Student Personnel. Student Affairs, Student Welfare. etc. 20 18.5 Dean of Students, Student Affairs, etc. 22 20.4 Counselor of Men or Women. Guidance Counselor 5 4.6 Director Freshmen Week, Chairman Orientation Committee 5 4.6 No response 6 5.6 Totals 108 100.0 65 Other officers listed by a substantial number of colleges as being in charge of orientation included dean of students and director of stur dent personnel. Still other titles mentioned by a few include dean of freshmen (or junior college), deans of men or women, director of freshe men week, and chairman of orientation. The director of the orientation program is usually assisted by an advisory or planning committee as is shown in Table XIV. In the majority of cases it appears that this committee is composed of representatives of faculty, students, and administration with a fairly equal proportion of each. In about 93 per cent of the schools the members of the orienta- tion committee are appointed. However, it was not determined who does the appointing, nor in the few cases where the members are elected was it determined who does the electing. TABLE XIV ORIENTATION COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION Per Cent Committee Members Frequency of 105 Schools Faculty 84 80.0 Students 74 71.4 Administration 93 88.6 How Committee is Formed: Appointed 98 93.3 Elected 2 1.9 Personnel Office 3 2.9 No committee 2 1.9 66 Orientation may be classified into two kinds-~one of which is con- centrated into the space of a few days and seeks to give the incoming new students initial assistance to college life; the other is continuous and spread out over a longer period of time. Frequently colleges offer both programs. However, most of the information in the present survey relates to the initial and concentrated type of orientation procedure. The colleges were queried whether they scheduled orientation prior to enrollment and registration of upper-class students. Eighty—three of these, or approximately 77 per cent, answered in the affirmative to this question. Thus, apparently it is a fairly common practice to schedule orientation before the rush and confusion of upper-class registration. This information is summarized in Table XV. TABLE XV ORIENTATION SCHEDULED PRIOR TO ENROLLMENT Schools Per Cent Those answering "Yes" 83 76.9 Those answering "No" 24 22.2 No response 1 .9 Totals 108 100.0 67 Investigation was also made to determine whether orientation was held at the mid-year for students Who might be entering at that time. It was found that somewhat less than half or about 43 per cent, as shown in Table XVI, provided this orientation period. TABLE XVI MID-YEAR ORIENTATION PROVIDED Schools Per Cent Those answering "Yes" 46 42.6 Those answering "No" 60 55.6 No response 2 1.9 Points emphasized at Mid-Year: Registration Procedures 40 Adjustment to College 9 Apparently most of the colleges surveyed confine their mid-year ori— entation period to an explanation of registration procedures, with very few devoting any length of time to adjustment processes. It would appear that here might be an opportunity to carry out orientation but on a re- duced scale from that effected at the opening of the fall period. Apparently the large majority of colleges require that freshmen at- tend the orientation program. Of the 108 schools surveyed, 93 state that such attendance is compulsory. (See Table XVII.) 68 TABLE XVII ATTENDANCE COMPULSORY AT ORIENTATION Schools Per Cent These answering "Yes" 93 86.1 Those answering "No" 12 11.1 No response 3 2.8 Totals 108 100.0 It is clear that most colleges whatever their type, as is shown in Table XVIII, hold some type of an initial freshmen orientation program. Further study of this table demonstrates that the larger number of schools allot either three or five days to their orientation programs with the median allotment being four days. Only a few of the schools allow less than or more than three to five days for orientation. Various names have been applied to this orientation period, such as Freshman week, New Student Week, and Welcome Week. The fact that in most cases this program does not cover a week's time has not deterred many in- stitutions from using the term "week" in their title. Table XIX indicates the names most commonly used to describe the opening orientation period as shown in the survey of the 108 schools. In addition to the initial orientation period, Table XX shows that L. 47 of the colleges offer general orientation courses which presumably 4 See Appendix H for c0py of a general orientation course. 69 m.H w.m m.N mum NmH mum odH w.m m.am mesoo Hem m m m n ma om mm HH s m eOH OHH uHsuea I H I I I N a I I I u n mHoosom onwoz H I I I I I H I I H H N mHoosem u.sueos H I H N a m m I I H mH aH uHoosem m.uoz : N m H NN NH mN HH 3 3 mm mm HoaoHpsosmooo m m m m HH m sH m m m we Hm usOHeseHemsH oeseHsm H H m H wH NH mH w H H mm mm mseHsseHsusH eHHesm I I I I a H a H I 0 0H 0H HEOHmoHosmooa m I m H NH a HH m N m as as uumoHHoo m m m N MH NH HH 3 N m om mm moHpHmsoqub noamdo 02 u Hobo .N m m a m N H 02 new when asoHpmpsoHno avocadosh msodepHpqu dHom mZOHE<fimmmmo Mfifiz onadazmHmo zmzmmmmm HHH>N fiqmda 70 TABLE XIX NAMES MOST COMMONLY USED FOR ORIENTATION PERIODS -‘ ... NuEber Per Cent Titles of of Schools 69 Schools Freshman Camp or Convocation 5 7.2 Freshmen Days 8 11.6 Freshman Week 12 17.4 Freshmen Orientation 19 27.5 Orientation Program 9 13.0 New Student Week 7 10.2 New Student Orientation 3 4.3 Orientation week 6 8.7 Totals 69 100.0 TABLE XX GENERAL ORIENTATION COURSE Frequency Per Cent Those stating they offer such a course 47 43.5 Those not offering such a course _§Qg_ _5§;5_ Totals 108 100.0 If offered, is it required of Freshmen? Those answering "Yes" 33 70.2 Those answering "No" 10 21.3 No response ._Bn. __§;§_. Totals 47 100.0 71 last at least one term. Of these 47 colleges, 33 require enrollment by all students in the general orientation course. Thus, although less than half. it appears that a sizable minority of the colleges are supporting this kind of orientation. The sponsoring of social functions is a common feature of the ori- entation pragram. About 74 per cent of the colleges provide school mix- ers to assist in "breaking the ice"-that is, encourage friendship and help deve10p group spirit. Approximately half the colleges sponsor fac- ulty receptions. pep meetings. student teas, and freshmen stunt night shows. A small minority offer class dinners as a social function, A list of the kinds of social functions provided is given in Table XXI. Other sponsored campus mixer activities include: picnics, steak fry, weiner roasts, ice breaker dances, free movies, freshmen sing, freshmen camp, breakfast, freshmen square dance. president's reception for parents. freshmen banquet, counselor luncheon, and the like. The inclusion of these items might offer suggestions for other institutions interested in furthering their campus mixer activities. Most of the colleges offer activities of various types to introduce freshmen to campus religious life. An examination of Table XXII on reli- gious activities provided during orientation does not indicate any spe~ cific pattern of particular activities practiced by a majority of the colleges. The church social is mentioned by the largest single group, about 35 per cent. In a sense, this activity combines a religious and social function. A fairly sizable group of the colleges offer vesper serv- ices. church group meetings, and chapel services. Some schools apparently offer instruction in religion as a part of their school program. Other 72 TABLE XXI SOCIAL FUNCTIONS PROVIDED DURING ORIENTATION Per Cent Schools of 95 Responses School Mixer 70 73.? Faculty Reception 48 50.5 Student Teas, Smokers 54 56.8 Class Dinners 5 5.3 Pep Meetings 56 58.9 Frosh.Stunt Nite 41 43.2 Others: 35 36.8 Freshmen Weiner Roast Concerts Picnic Sunday lunch Chanticleer Freshman Camp President's Reception President's reception for parents Rush.Parties Freshman Breakfast Ice Breaker Dance Freshman Dance Movies Freshman Tea Freshman Sing Freshmen eat with counselors A.W.S. and Men's Union Supper Freshman.Banquet Plays Square Dance 73 religious activities mentioned include special church programs, church camps, progressive dinners, special vesper services, mass, dances, and the activities confined to religious emphasis week later in the year. TABLE XXII RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES DURING ORIENTATION Per Cent Religious Activity Frequency of 91 Schools Vesper Services 27 29.? Church Group Meetings 31 34.1 Church Socials 32 35.2 Chapel Services 23 25.3 None 3 3.3 Others: 54 59.3 Special Church Programs (15) Religious Instruction (4) Names Given to Churches (12) Opening Mass (2) YW'& YMCA Camp (1) Freshmen Sermon in Chapel (2) Church Social Night (6) Saturday Vesper Service (1) Church Publication to Freshmen (4) YMCA Dance (1) Progressive Dinner (1) Religious Emphasis Week (3) Group Teas (1) Mass - Second Week (1) Entrance examinations are required in many of the colleges as indi- cated in Table XXIII. Eighty-nine of the 103 colleges give aptitude tests. English tests are also commonly given, as reported by 83 of the colleges. Fifty—five of the colleges require physical examinations. About half the colleges provide mathematics and reading tests as well as interest in- ventories. A scattering of other kinds of tests are offered such as speech, foreign language, pre-engineering, and personality inventories. Mention was made by several that testing was intended primarily for counr seling and placement rather than as an entrance requirement. 74 TABLE XXIII REQUIRED ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS Per Cent Subject or Area Frequency of Mentioned 103 Schools Music 11 10.7 English Placement 83 80.6 Mathematics 48 46.6 Reading 55 53.4 Chemistry 13 12.6 Physics 3 2.9 College Aptitude 89 86.4 Interest Test 41 39.8 Physical Examination 55 53.4 Others: 63 61.3 Intelligence Tests (3) Physical Skills (1) Speech (6) College Aptitude (2) Biology (1) HS Achievement (4) Typing for Commerce (2) Personality (8) Shorthand for Commerce (1) Audiometer (3) Foreign Language (13) Social Science (1) Business Placement (1) Orthoratic (l) Pre—engineering (5) General Aptitude (2) College Entrance Board (5) Science Aptitude (2) Imaginative Aptitude (l) Vocabulary (1) Table XXIV summarizes specific parts of the orientation program car- ried on by the colleges and includes some comparison of information of- fered in.previous tables. More than 90 per cent of the colleges offer placement tests, welcoming addresses, activity information periods, and a social program. Better than 75 per cent state that they provide health examinations, religious gatherings, conducted campus tours, library Open houses, and a student assembly. Other activities mentioned by a sizable group include free movies, tug—o-war, painting the school letter, and scenic trips. TABLE XXIV SPECIFIC PARTS OF ORIENTATION FOLLOWED BY COLLEGES 75 Per Cent of Specific Events Followed? Affirmative Yes No Responses Placement Tests 94 9 91.3 welcoming.Address 105 1 99.1 Adviser Conference 70 22 76.1 Health.Examinations 81 17 82.7 Activity Information Period 103 1 99.0 Social Period 94 8 92.2 Religious Gatherings 76 19 80.0 Campus Tours 77 22 77.8 Library Open House 76 20 79.2 Free Movies 38 45 45.8 (Ten schools stated that movies were on the subject of campus life.) Scenic Trips 14 60 18.9 Student.Assembly 78 19 80.4 Group Activities: 57 40 58.8 (Tug~o-War, Painting the Letter. etc.) Other Activities: 38 Freshman.Bonfire (l) Parent-FrshrFaculty Lunch (1) EM & YWCA Freshmen Camp (2) Western Steak Fry (1) Orientation Camp for Frsh. (3) Chuck wagon Picnic (2) Frosh Mixers-~Dances (4) watermelon Feast (1) Faculty Open House (1) Outdoor Barbeque (1) Sorority Parties (1) Music Auditions (2) Faculty-Freshmen Conferences ( Registration (1) Cnslr. Meeting with Freshmen ( Student Carnival (1) Upper-Class Cnslrs/Freshmen ( Alumni Open House for Fr. (1) Frat-Sorority Promenade (1) Induction Ceremony (1) Identification or Howdy Cards(3) Freshmen Mock Court (1) Group Freshmen Singing (1) 76 A.perusal of the 33 orientation programs submitted by colleges and ‘universities answering this questionnaire show that all appear fairly consistent in listing most of the aforementioned orientation activities with modifications made to conform to their particular area. This chang- ing of orientation to tie in with local conditions appears consistently throughout the programs submitted. Much time and effort appear to have been made in publishing attrac- tice orientation brochures by the schools submitting orientation programs. An.illustrated map of the campus, location of fraternal buildings and church centers, an ennumerated route for registration, and a capy of the school song were noted on some of the programs, usually on the back page. Special Problems of Orientation Fraternity-sorority rushing is often carried on during orientation week or shortly thereafter. The colleges were queried whether they ap- proved of this practice as indicated in Table XXV. Sixty-four of the 108 schools expressed disapproval and only 13 were in favor of holding fraternity sorority rushing the first week of the school year. Ten col— leges stated that they were indifferent to the choice of time for rush? ing, 17 stated that Greek letter societies were not permitted at their school, and four left this question blank. Fifty-nine of the colleges, or about 68 per cent, favored transfer- ring rushing until later in the school year. However, there was dis- agreement as to when would be the best time for rushing. Those answer- ing later in the fall term represented about half of the schools while 32.2 per cent favored holding rushing after the Christmas holidays. 77' Four schools favored holding rushing on their campuses just prior to ori- entation with the possibility of having those students interested in fraternities reporting early. TABLE XXV REACTION TOWARD FRATERNITY—SORORITY BUSHING What is the school attitude toward fraternity-sorority rushing during orientation week? Favorable 13 Schools 12.0% Passive 10 " 9.3% Unfavorable 64 “ (87 schools)* 59.3% No fraternities 17 " 15. 7% No response 4 “ 3.2; 108 Schools 100.0p Is rushing held later in the school year? Those answering "Yes" 59 Schools** 67.8% Those answering "No" 14 “ 16.1% No response 14 " 16.1% 87 Schools* 100.0b If rushing is held later, when? Those answering "Fall" 25 Schools 42.4% Those answering "Winter" 19 " 32.2% Those answering "Spring" 8 " 13.6% Those "Prior to Orientation" 4 " 6.8% No response 3 " .1 59 Schools** 100.0; Whether faculty members are required to be on the campus during ori- entation.was another question raised. As is shown in Table XXVI, 71 colleges require their faculty to be present. As indicated in Table XXVII only 29 schools offer a pre-school in- doctrination program for their new teachers. Since the formal programs of orientation are much more common for incoming students, apparently it 78 TABLE XXVI ATTITUDE TOWARD REQUIRING FACULTY MEMBERS TO BE ON CAMPUS DURING ORIENTATION Schools Per Cent Favorable 71 65.7 Not required 28 25.9 No reSponse 9 8.3 Totals 108 100.0 is assumed that new instructors are capable of orientation themselves. On the other hand, it is likely that there is considerable orientation of such new staff members by their department heads and senior colleagues. TABLE XXVII COLLEGES HOLDING FEE-SCHOOL ORIENTATION FOR NEW TEACHERS Schools Per Cent Colleges conducting New Teacher Orientation . 29* 26.9 Colleges not conducting New Teacher Orientation indoctrination 73 67.6 No response 6 5.6 Totals 108 100.0 *Eight schools submitted cepies of their indoctrination program. 79 The eight schools submitting capies of their pre-school orientation programs for new staff members in common detailed time to explanations of college regulations, grading, and course offerings. It is felt that a day spent on familiarization will aid in later classroom instruction. It was noted, however, that only a few schools allotted any time to the discussion of counseling students and test interpretation. A service of vocational orientation that is helpful to students in all grades and yet may have a particular value to the new student in helping cho0se a suitable curriculum is College Career Day. However, this kind of program.is offered in only 39 per cent of the colleges. Table XXVIII shows this information and also that the colleges offering such a program during the year is separate from the orientation committee. TABLE XXVIII COLLEGES OFFERING A COLLEGE CAREER DAY PROGRAM Schools Per Cent Those offering such a program 39* 36.1 Those not offering a Career Day 63 58.3 No response 6 5.6 Totals 108 100.0 If offered. is this a separate committee from orientation? Those answering "Yes" 34 87-2 Those answering "No" 2 5.1 No response 3 2.2 Totals 39* 100.0 80 A few colleges in the group surveyed, 18 in number, offer a special orientation program for foreign students. (See Table XXIX.) The advis- ability of providing such a program depends in part on the number of for- eign students enrolled in any particular college. Some schools raise the question whether singling out foreign students as a special group may be unwise in increasing their feeling of difference and thus pre- venting their assimilation into the student body as a whole. Schools answering this question in the affirmative mentioned among other things the establishment of a foreign student center on or near the campus, the assignment of special faculty advisers, and taking added time for expla- nation of the college organization. TABLE XXIX COLLEGES CONDUCTING A SPECIAL FOREIGN STUDENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM Schools Per Cent Those offering such a program 18 16.7 Those not offering such a program 88 81.5 (13 schools stated they had no foreign students) No response to this question 2 1.8 .An analysis of feelings toward the present orientation program, as may be seen in Table XXX, shows some difference of Opinions in the var— ious colleges surveyed concerning effectiveness of orientation procedures. Although 42.6 per cent felt that their program needed improvement, 38.9 81 per cent found the program acceptable and 16.7 per cent stated that their prOgram was very satisfactory. Thus a majority would seem fairly well satisfied with the program as it is. TABLE XXX FEELING TOWARD PRESENT ORIENTATION PROGRAM Schools Per Cent It needs improvement 46 42.6 Acceptable as it now is 42 38.9 Very satisfactory program 18 16.7 , No response 2 1.9 Examination of Table XXXI seems to bear out the idea stated in the previous paragraph that no considerable number of changes are contem- plated, at least in the majority of the colleges surveyed. It appears rather significant that 63.9 per cent of the colleges left this question blank in answering what changes are planned for their orientation pro— gram. ' It would also appear from this table that most of the colleges who do contemplate changes in their orientation programs are not planning anything of a far-reaching or radical nature. Most of the changes listed seem merely some extension of current and conventional practices. For example, allowing more time for orientation, providing more social mixe ers, and encouraging school spirit are mentioned. None of these changes would appear very different from the usual orientation procedures. 82 TABLE XXI CONTEMPLATED CHANGES IN ORIENTATION PROGRAM Per Cent Changes Mentioned Frequency of 39 Schools More time for orientation 5 12.8 More pre-school visits 2 5.1 Orientation at mid-year 1 2.6 Student participation 4 10.3 Pre-registration conferences 4 10.3 More social mixers 3 7.7 Refining program 7 17.8 More adviser time 4 10.3 Emphasis on develOping school spirit 3 7.7 Committee now working on orientation 6 _15;4 39 100.0 No response to this question 62 63.9 of 108 Schools 108 Schools As indicated in Table XXXII, only a small group of the schools have or are conducting studies evaluating their orientation practices. It also seems fairly evident that, generally speaking, little has resulted from these studies. 0n the other hand, of the 108 colleges queried, 103 re- quested a summary of the present survey. On the basis of these requests for information it would seem that there was some interest, at least, in studying research in this field. In the initial postcard survey an attempt was made to determine whether orientation procedures varied according to the type of institu- tion surveyed. Table XVIII on page 69 indicates the results of the post- card survey. These results suggest that type of institution is not a significant factor in determining orientation practice. 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Na a.mm a.oa a.mm saaaaaaa.maaaeeo m.ma o.ma o.ooa 0.0m o.ma m. ea N.mm m.ma a.aa massage aaaaoaom m.mw 0.0m m.mm N.dm 0.00H 0. mm m.mm H.mw 0.0m wdammdm apdnuovmnh masses m a a a a o m .4 .aeaeaAHAoa ermpsmapsmaon so unwoaaoo ZOHB¢HZHHMO MBHmmfibHZD mzHSOMS ho weofimm<.mDOHm<§ Mme ho mmfiZfiHHmzmamoz fins 20 ZHZMmHMH ho monZHmo fiwdHZHommm hxxx figm o UNOHING I 954.55 GEORGE DUKE Human“, men-mt OFFICE 0!? RELATED STUDENTS SERVICES “W “M Rm?" mes an e R-EMcWhinnle, Registrar and Director of Adm! . m UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING ENROLLMENTS‘ 1936 - 1952 1936‘37 1937-38 1938-39 1939*40 1940-01 l9h1—42 1942—03 1943-40 1944-45 1945-06 19h6—u7 1947—h8 1908—49 1949-50 1950-51 1951—52 Average Enrollment (1936-52) * Compiled from Statistical Summagz, 1251-: . Registrar's Office, University of wyoming. October. 1952, p. n 1900 2047 2188 226% 2275 2001 1590 763 863 1873 3364 3685 3608 3529 2936 2531 2339 172 STUDENT EMPLOYMENT TISTINO COU NSELING 173 TTIE'EUNFVFHRSITHI()F‘VVSHJLIUNC} OFFICE OF STUDENT PERSONNEL AND GUIDANCE LARAMJE, WYOMING Dear Senior: You indicated a desire to attend our High School Counseling Clinic in Laramie this summer. We have added your name to the growing list of other students attending and shall be expecting you unless notified to the contrary. In order to insure a bright and early start on Thursday morning, it will be necessary for you to spend fiednesday evening at one of the campus ‘ dormitories. Girls will be housed in Knight Hall and boys will be housed \ at the Wyoming Hall dormitory. Rooms will cost you $1.50 a night. ‘ Laramie boys and girls may stay at their homes if they so desire. Meals will all be taken at the University Cafeteria where rates are Very reasonablea Breakfast is served between the hours of 7:00—8:30, and the evening meal at 5:15-6:15. Noon luncheons will be a family affair for our entire group to Be field in the Cafeteria special dining room. Please fill out the enclosed Information Sheet along with your Room Reservation request and mail ,0 s 0 ice at once in order to insure reservations for room and the conference. The tentative schedule for our clinic follows: Thursday Schedule: Friday Schedule: 7:30 Breakfast, University Cafeteria 7:30 Breakfast, Univ. Cafe 8:30 Registration, Room 311, Old Main 8:00 Special Testing, Room 9:00 Testing, Room h07, Old Main 311, Old Main 10-12 Campus Tour 9:30 Deans Men d'Women Meeting 12:00 Group Luncheon--Speaker 10:00 Individual Counseling l~3:30 Individual Counseling 12:00 Group Luncheon--Speaker 3:30 Meet Advisers or Deans 1:00 Check out for home-- hzoo Student Employment at Iyoming Room 311, Old Main hz3O Admissions Office Conference 5:30 Supper, University Cafeteria 7:30 Evening Social Program Please notify us if there are any changes in your plans to attend this clinic. Yours very sincerely, Unless notified to the contrary, we shall expect you for the Clinic Thursday—Friday . """"""'"““"" Charles Hy Thompson Room 311, Old Main Building CHT:lpb ghclosures _ ‘--A____ ___—MW.— fi————.— AT ENDAHCE NOTIFICATION & ROOM RESERVATION I plan on attending the Counseling Clinic Thursday and Friday . attached is 1 to reserve a room for me in the girls dormitory ( ) boys dormitory Z ), for Tednesday and Thursday nights. I shall arrive about o'clock by . I shall leave about o'clock by . Name Address DENT EMPLOYMENT IOOUNSELIN G l.‘ L 173 IHIEIIHNIVEHKSPTTT()F'VVY()lIUN(} OFFICE OF STUDENT PERSONNEL AND GUIDANCE LARAlfl'E, WYOMING Dear Senior: You indicated a desire to attend our High School Counseling Clinic in Laramie this summer. We have added your name to the growing list of other students attending and shall be expecting you unless notified to the contrary. In order to insure a bright and early start on Thursday morning, it will be necessary for you to spend Uednesday evening at one of the campus dormitories. Girls will be housed in Knight Hall and boys will be housed at the Wyoming Hall dormitory. Rooms will cost you $1.50 a night. Laramie boys and girls may stay at their homes if they so desire. Meals will all be taken at the University Cafeteria where rates are very reasonable. Breakfast is served between the hours of 7:00h8:30, and the evening meal at 5:15-6:15. Noon luncheons will be a family affair for our entire group to Be held in the Cafeteria special dining room. Please fill out the enclosed Information Sheet along with your Room Reservation request and mail to this office at once in order to insure reservations for room and the conference. The tentative schedule for our clinic follows: Thursday Schedule: Friday Schedule: 7:30 Breakfast, University Cafeteria 7:30 Breakfast, Univ. Cafe 8:°O Registration, Room 311, Old Main 8:00 Special Testing, Room 9:00 Testing, Room h07, Old Main 311, Old Main lO-12 Campus Tour 9:30 Deans Men & Women Meeting 12:00 Group Luncheon-~Speaker 10:00 Individual Counseling lu3:30 Individual Counseling 12:00 Group Luncheon~~Speaker 3:30 Meet Advisers or Deans 1:00 Check out for hom -- h:00 Student Employment at Tyoming Room 311, Old Main h:30 Admissions Office Conference 5:30 Supper, University Cafeteria 7:30 Evening Social Program Please notify us if there are any changes in your plans to attend this clinic 0 Yours very sincerely, Unless notified to the contrary, We shall expect you for the Clinic Thursday-Friday . Charles H. Thompson Room 311, Old Main Building CHT:lpb l:“tClosures ATTE NDAHCE NOTIFICATION &.ROOM RESERVATION I plan on attending the Counseling Clinic Thursday and Friday . s ittached is 3 to reserve a room for me in the girls dormitory (fl ) boys dormitory 1*), for ednesday and Thursday nights. I shall arrive about >o‘clock by . I slall leave about , o‘clock by . Address UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION Student Personnel Office Copy INSTRUCTIONS: Please fill out and return to Director of Admissions as soon as possible. Your careful completion of the information asked for here will help your counselors at the University to become better acquainted with you and consequently to be of greater assis- tance. Outlining your objectives, planning your program, and distributing your time among the many opportunities of the University are among your most important responsibili- ties. It is recommended that you confer with your high school principal to discuss your plans for a university education in relation to your high school record. All information will be used in a strictly professional manner. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ANSWER EACH QUESTION COMPLETELY AND PRECISELY. Date A. GENERAL INFORMATION M Name Sex F Please print (Last) ’IFirSt)’ (Middle) Home Address (Street) ‘ICity) (State) Place of birth Date of birth Religious Marital Number of Ancestry preference status children Father's name Occupation Education Mother's name Occupation Education Step-parent or Guardian Occupation Education Husband or Wife's name Occupation Education check any of the following which are applicable: Parents living together Parents separated Father deceased Parents divorced Mother deceased Brothers and Sisters Name Sex Occupation Education Birthdate B. EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PLANS: In general students enter college with a two-fold objective - to round out their general education and to prepare for a vocation. The answers to these questions will be of assistance in helping you build a general educational program. High Schools attended Location Dates Date of Age at No. students Course graduation graduation in senior class taken Special honors in high school Any other colleges attended and dates Approximate no. of college credits transferred List subjects you particularly like and why List subjects you particularly dislike and why ‘u'aherein do you think your education is still weak? That is, what do you want to be able to do which you cannot do now? (For example, write and speak effectively, understand world affairs, develOp a personal philosophy, etc.) When do you expect to enter the University? Quarter Year . How long do you expect to attend the University? . filers do you expect to register? - Main campus at Laramie Extension Center TLocation) ' While one's final choice of a major subject is often not made until after some eJcperience in college, if you have made a tentative choice of a college and major, please indicate held” __‘COLLEBE OF AGRICULTURE ___COLLEGE OF EDUCATION COLLEBE 0F LIBERAL ARTS ___Home Economics ___Elementary Education —"" General L.A. Physics ___Agronomy & Agri. ___Guidance (Grad.level) ___Pre-Forestry ___—Zoology 8: Economics __Secondary Education _chemistry _Physiology ___Animal Production Educational Admini- “Economics 3. Wildlife Conser- ____Range Management _stration (Grad.level) _Sociolog __vation 8; Mgmt. ___Veterinary Science Vocational Education Social Work Pre-Dental '& Bacterioloy :Health and Physical __‘English “he-Nursing ___Wool Technology Education _Journalism *Pre-Nedical ___Other (specify)____ _Other (specify) ._.Art ”He-Technician :Nusic :Pharmacy COLLEGE OF COMMERCE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING —G‘."°1°g3" 8‘ -----°’°her (51mm ) ""' Accounting “" Civil “thereby :Business Admini- ___—Electrical ___—”35m” . COLLEGE OF LAW stration :Mechanical ——L‘I:::ue::::cs “(Minimum of 2 Secretarial Solence General *PhilOSOphy & years college ”Statistics :Other (Specify)___ __ work required _Other (specify) PSY °h°1°gy for admission) Comerce How certain are you of your choice of college and. major? (Check below) Absolutely Reasonably Fairly Somewhat Very fixed choice certain certain doubtful uncertain If you are undecided, what pos- sibilities are you considering? With whom have you discussed your educational and vocational plans? (Teacher, principal, veterans counselor, etc.) When Where C. VOCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PLANS. Occupations may be classified generally in terms of the seven categories listed below. To help us get a picture of your vocational plans, please indicate which you would prefer to do, disregarding any limitations of ability or finances which you may feel. Number your first choice 1, second 2, and so on for all seven. Occupations involving business contacts with people, such as various fields of selling, promotional work, politics, etc. Occupations involving business detail, such as accountant, business statistician, cashier, banker, stenographer, office clerical worker, etc. Occupations involving social service activities, such as youth organization workers (YWCA, Boy Scouts, etc.) , personnel worker, social case worker, minister, teacher, wel- fare worker, counselor, etc. Occupations requiring special artistic abilities, such as musician, actor, artist, interior decorator, designer, etc. Occupations involving technical or scientific work, such as engineer, chemist, surgeon, mathematician, research worker, inventor, physicist, toolmaker, etc. Occupations involving verbal or linguistic work, such as lawyer, newspaper man, author, advertising man, professor, librarian, etc. Occupations involving executive reaponsibilities, such as director, office manager, foreman, etc. - -2 If you have a vocational choice, what is it? How certain are you of this choice? (Check below) mintely Reasonably Fairly Somewhat Very fixed choice certain certain doubtful unc If undecided, what alterna- tives are you considering? How much information have you about the re- . ements of the vocation you have chosen? None Some mtensive m did you make your choice of vocation? (Check reason or reasons) Family suggestion or tradition Long personal interest in work Friend's or teacher's advice It is most profitable financially Vocation of someone you admire It is best suited to my abilities Slggested by study in school Most interesting intellectually Other (specify) Summarize briefly your work experience, including military assignments. Indicate dates, title of job, just what you did; what you liked and disliked about each job. STUDENT ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, LEISURE TIME INTERESTS. Interests and abilities developed through participation in group activities and leisure time pursuits can often lead to new vocational and educational goals. In what activities did you participate in high school or in community while in high school or between high school and college? (Journalism, church, Scouts, student government, athletics, etc.) Note any offices or special responsibilities held. lhat are your leisure time activities and hobbies? [hat are your plans for participation in college activities? years. Indicate below sources of income for this period: E. FINANCIAL PLANS. For how long a college program have you made financial plans? $3 G.I. Bill, Public Law 31:6 Public Law 16___; percent financed by parents Amount of savings to be u-sjd-for college 8 , Loans 8 , Scholarships 8 Own earnings while in college - 25%____ 50%__ 7S%___ 1005—; Any other source of in- come Note any financial obligations which may influence college plans Do you want a part time job? Have you made plans for obtaining one? cational plans or plane for participation in college activities? F. HEALTH. Are there any special health problems that might limit or influence your edu- l— VERY On this page write a brief account of your life. Describe home surroundings, 7 IMPORTANT school and work experiences, development of purpose and outlook on life, men- tioning the factors which have influenced you most, such as paralts, teachers, friendships, travel, service experience, reading, etc. Include _a_ paragraph 911 Lhy you want ‘ 2 attend college, and your plans and aSpirations for the Eture. ‘ Signature This information is confidential and will be used only by your counselors to help you while attending the University of morning. '44 UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING ‘ APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION ;. Faculty Adviser ' 3 Copy u. GENERAL INFORMATION Date Name TLastT (First) TMiddle) Home Address A . (Street) ( City) (state) Date of birth Marital Status Father's Name Occupation Education Mother's Name Occupation Education Step-parent or Guardian_ Occupation Education Check any of the following which are applicable: Parents living together Parents separated Father deceased Parents divorced Mother deceased Number of brothers and Eisters B. E111 CATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND PLANS High Schools attended Location Dates Date of Age at No. students Course graduation graduation in senior class taken Special honors in high school Approximately how do you rank in your high school class? Upper 10th ___Upper hth Upper half Lower half Lower hth . A Any other colleges attended and dates List subjects you particularly like and why List subjects you particularly dislike and W In what subjects have you done your best work? In what subjects have you done your poorest work? Wherein do you think your education is still weak? That is, what do you want to be able to do which you cannot do now? (For example, write and speak effectively, understand world affairs, develOp a personal phiIOSOphy, etc.) How long do you expect to attend the University? From what college do you eventually ‘ expect to gaduate? Liberal Arts Commerce Engineering Law ‘ Education Agriculture/Home Economics . 1 If you have made a tentative choice of a major subject, what is it? ‘ How certain are you of this choice? (Check below) ‘ Absolutely Reasonably fi‘a E Someihat Very fixed choice certain certain doubtful uncertain If you are undecided, what alterna- tives are you considering? c. VOCATIONAL PLAIB AND EXPEHENCE. If you have a vocational choice, what is it? (Be as specific as possible)__ When did you make this choice? How certain are you of this choice? (Check below) AbeOIutely Reasonably ‘Fiirly SOmewhat Very fixed choice certain certain, doubtful uncertain If undecided, what alternap tives are you considering? Why did you make this choice? (Check reason or reasons) Family suggestion or tradition Long personal interest in work Friend's or teacher‘s advice “It is most profitable financially Vocation of someone you admire :It is best suited to my abilities Suggested by study in school :M05t interesting intellectually Other (specify) How much information have you about the re- quirements of the vocation you have chosen? NOne Some Extensive Information gained through: reading personal experience in the field conversation “with someone in the occupation Other (specify) Summarize briefly your work experience, including military assignments. Indicate dates, title of job, just what you did; what you liked and disliked about each job. D. STUDENT ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, LEISURE TIME INTERESTS. In what activi- ties did you participate in high school or in community while in high school or between high school and college? Note any offices or Special responsibilities held. What are your leisure time activities? What are your plans for participation in college activities? E. FINANCIAL PLANS. Do you expect to attend school under Public Law‘3h6?* Under Public Law 16? . Do you expect to work part time? . Are there any family or financial Obligations that may influence your college plans? (Specify) F. HEALTH. the any special health problems or limitations that may influence your college'plans. mm USE my jE 1 3 '55 _ch 2 o 55, fitTER-UBRARY LOAN $5.759.- LEE‘: E'MW LOAN Aug 23 ‘57 M” e NE 2 Q 1960 I?