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Why use this Site - Research

The University.Connect is a part of University Studies program to promote academic success among incoming freshmen. University Studies is Portland State’s innovative general education program, which extends through all four years of your PSU undergraduate experience.

The University.Connect  was developed in response to recent research that shows that the transition to college is not the same for every student. Many students enter the university system without a clear idea of what will be expected of them. It's common for students to undergo a period of adjustment and to feel confused about where to find the help they may need to deal with this adjustment. The U.Connect website provides students with strategies to gain the "implicit knowledge" needed to succeed in academia. In short, U.Connect explains the unwritten rules and expectations of academic culture so that every student can become an expert in their chosen field.  

Why use a peer-to-peer approach? Our research has shown that having successful students share tips on what has worked for them is an effective way to help newer students make successful transitions to PSU. New students who receive mentoring—or "expertise development"—earn better grades, complete more credits, and are more likely to finish their first year on campus than students who do not receive this support.

U.Connect has compiled strategies from other PSU students who, through trial and error, became expert college students. As valuable as this period of trial and error might have been it was also stressful for many students. During the research process, we learned that many students need a resource to help them learn these skills more efficiently. These students realized that others could learn from their mistakes and their successes. Thus, the U.Connect website was born.

Our desire to help you thrive at PSU extends beyond this website. We're working to present this information in a coordinated way by utilizing the Freshman Inquiry courses and the mentor sessions to offer inducements to use this site and to provide opportunities to discuss what you've learned and what you still need to know.
 This site will be updated regularly, so be sure to check back to find the newest resources.

 For more information on University Studies, Freshman Inquiry, or the University.Connect , please visit http://www.pdx.edu/unst/contact for contact information. To learn more about the research that went into the creation of the University Studies' U.Connect, click here: http://friends.studentsfirst.pdx.edu/files/results.php .

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