Freshman Academy Impact on Students

Studies have shown that students who join Freshman Academy consistently perform better than their peers--not because they are necessarily better students but because they come into a structure geared towards their personal success at Brigham Young University.

Three large-scale studies were conducted in 2003 to see the impact Freshman Academy has on first-year students. The studies looked at the influences Freshman Academy has on:

• Faculty/student interactions
• The transition from high school to the university and
• Student appreciation for the mission of BYU

The results showed that Freshman Academy students develop richer and more regular relationships with faculty members, they make a more successful transition to the university, and they take fuller advantage of the unique experience of BYU than do non-Freshman Academy students. For the complete study, click here.

While Freshman Academy is still working to create a campus-wide culture of community learning, research shows that Freshman Academy has a powerful influence on those students participating in the program. Freshman Academy students are more likely than the student body as a whole to develop strong relationships with faculty, other students, and various campus resources. They are also more likely to serve in the community and study together in groups. Possibly most promising, is the fact that other campus entities have begun to adopt practices first introduced to the university by Freshman Academy.

On a yearly basis, Freshman Academy conducts formal and informal evaluations of its program. To find out more information about this, view the Evaluation and Accreditation or Presentation and Articles under our Research section.