Schools that prioritize first-year experiences
Adapting to campus life and the rigor of college courses doesn’t happen overnight. While most U.S. colleges and universities host orientation before the start of classes to introduce students to policies and traditions, some go a step farther and integrate first-year experiences into the curriculum and provide semester or yearlong programming. The following 10 colleges ranked highly for first-year experiences, per U.S. News survey data. These rankings were based on feedback in the spring and summer of 2024 from college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions at more than 1,500 schools. Colleges that earned at least 10 nominations were ranked.
Boston College (MA)
First-year experiences rank: 9 (tie)
Orientation at Boston College — a time when incoming students register for classes, meet peers and learn about campus resources — lasts three days. The school year at this Jesuit Catholic university then kicks off with academic convocation, which aims to engage the “incoming class in an intellectual and reflective dialogue through a common text,” per the school’s website. During certain weekends, freshmen are invited to participate in the “48hours” weekend retreat, where upperclassmen share their personal college experiences and answer questions to ease anxiety and fears about college life. There’s also demographic-specific programming, such as Freshmen League, which connects first-year men with upperclassmen through off-campus outings.
Duke University (NC)
First-year experiences rank: 9 (tie)
Beyond Duke University’s general programming, some disciplines also have their own first-year experiences. Incoming students entering Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, for instance, participate in either Constellations or FOCUS. Constellations consists of interconnected, multidisciplinary courses that explore a topic area, based on a student’s interests, over one academic year. Example study areas include how climate change affects the world, how sports shape society and what drives humans to create and innovate. Meanwhile, students in FOCUS apply for multidisciplinary seminar clusters — such as cognitive neuroscience and law, geopolitics and culture, and humanitarian challenges — and take two related courses in the fall semester and a spring writing course. FOCUS students live together in the same residence hall.
Brown University (RI)
First-year experiences rank: 8
During orientation, first-year students at Brown University can choose from about 90 seminars in various disciplines, such as literary arts and physics. These first-year seminars are designed to “promote close interaction between faculty and students in a small setting that encourages pedagogical innovation and community-building,” according to Brown’s website. Some seminars qualify as a writing-designated course, and two writing courses are a graduation requirement. Faculty serve as informal mentors after the seminar ends. First-year students are also paired with a faculty and peer mentor team for the academic year as part of the Meiklejohn Peer Advising Program to discuss course selection, research opportunities, housing and social issues.
Baylor University (TX)
First-year experiences rank: 7
Typical orientation — offered in June and July — at Baylor University is two days, but students can combine it with the Baylor Line Camp, which extends the session to five days and further dives into campus traditions and religious life at the private Christian school. While orientation is free, the camp has a registration fee of $125. Another option for nature lovers is the seven-day Outdoor Adventure Baylor Line Camp in Colorado. For $595, plus travel expenses, participating incoming students connect with peers in the wilderness through camping, backpacking, white-water rafting and rock climbing. Completing an in-person or virtual orientation is still required for those who decide to sign up for the outdoor camp.
Berea College (KY)
First-year experiences rank: 6
Berea College hosts a monthlong program every summer to help incoming students prepare for college-level classes and introduce them to the work college’s labor program, as well as other aspects of campus life. The program, known as Berea Bridge, is free and students take a one-credit class that fulfills a general-education graduation requirement. First-year students also participate in activities run by resident assistants and mentors, try out the dining hall food and are assigned to a summer labor position. The program requires up to six hours of weekly work on campus, which increases to at least 10 hours once the school year begins.
Amherst College (MA)
First-year experiences rank: 5
All incoming students at Amherst College are required to take a first-year seminar as an introduction to liberal arts studies. Each course in First-Year Experience is capped at 15 students, with subjects such as comedy and free expression, art and animals, the globalization of football in Africa, the nuclear age, and women in the Progressive Era. First-year seminar faculty are matched with a representative from the campus writing center to help introduce students to the center and teach workshops about all aspects of the writing process. Amherst’s Loeb Center for Career Exploration and Planning also offers designated career development events and resources specifically for freshmen and sophomores.
Georgia State University
First-year experiences rank: 4
All incoming freshmen at Georgia State University are encouraged to participate in a learning community. Students are placed into groups of 25 based on their interests, such as business, health, education, policy studies or social sciences. Each group takes the same set of courses together in the fall semester: a first-year seminar, known as GSU 1010, that highlights campus life and resources; two or three curriculum courses that count toward any major; and two courses focused on a specific academic theme that the school calls a “meta major.” While a student’s final grade in GSU 1010 counts toward their GPA, the credit hours earned aren’t considered part of the 120 total credit hours required for graduation.
Agnes Scott College (GA)
First-year experiences rank: 3
As part of SUMMIT — a four-year global experience program at Agnes Scott College — freshmen are introduced to an adviser and upperclassman peer mentor before the start of classes to help with academic planning and college adjustment. First-year students take leadership and academic foundations courses in the fall and enroll in a global journeys course in the spring — which examines globalization, identity and culture, imperialism and travel ethics. Students apply their learning to a fully funded, eight-day trip led by faculty members. Destinations and themes vary but some past trips explored fashion and capitalism in France; music, art and community in Navajo Nation in the southwestern U.S.; and women and leadership in Ghana.
University of South Carolina
First-year experiences rank: 2
The University of South Carolina offers the University 101 program, which is made up of courses aimed at fostering student success. One course — The Student in the University — helps with the academic and social transition and teaches critical thinking skills. Other program courses focus specifically on transfer students, international students, and juniors and seniors planning for life after graduation. Students in the program experience higher six-year graduation rates, first-year persistence rates and first-year GPAs than nonparticipants, according to USC’s website. USC is also home to the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, which trains education professionals on ways to improve students’ higher education transitions.
Elon University (NC)
First-year experiences rank: 1
First-year experiences are integrated into Elon University’s core curriculum, which aims to build “critical thinking, research and communication” skills, according to the school’s website. Elon1010, a one-credit-hour seminar, introduces students to the campus community. Faculty and staff members who teach this class serve as academic advisers and work with students to create graduation plans. Other first-year foundational coursework focuses on “The Global Experience,” which explores social responsibility in the context of domestic and international environments. Each incoming class is also assigned a summer book — and given access to a free electronic copy — to discuss when they get to campus as part of the Common Reading Program.
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Colleges that rank high for freshman experiences
— Elon University (NC): 1
— University of South Carolina: 2
— Agnes Scott College (GA): 3
— Georgia State University: 4
— Amherst College (MA): 5
— Berea College (KY): 6
— Baylor University (TX): 7
— Brown University (RI): 8
— Boston College (MA): 9 (tie)
— Duke University (NC): 9 (tie)
More from U.S. News
First-Year Tips for International Students at U.S. Colleges
First-Year College Students: What You Need to Know to Succeed
18 Ways to Prepare for Your Freshman Year of College
10 Colleges With Great First-Year Experiences originally appeared on usnews.com
