Adaptation of students to the university environment: a case study in undergraduate courses at the Federal University of Ceará

Abstract

Understanding the experiences of freshmen students in the university environment is very relevant, because these initial experiences are vital for permanence and academic success. The study compared the adaptation to the university environment between students (i) of the masculine and feminine genders; (ii) night and day courses; (iii) who carry out labor activities with those who do not exercise; (iv) quota holders and non-quota holders. A non-probabilistic sample of 832 university students (3.2% of the enrolled students), with a majority of women (n = 422 or 50.7%), aged 25 years (n = 211 or 25.3%), (n = 318 or 38.2%) and daytime (n = 671 or 80.6%), who voluntarily answered the Questionnaire on Academic Experience (QVA-R). The results revealed significant differences among students of different: (i) genders, regarding the personal dimensions (F [1, 830] = 18.1, p < 0.001) and study (F [1,830] = 16,6; p < 0.001); (ii) shifts, with respect to the personal dimensions (F [1, 830] = 10.9, p < 0.001) and institutional (F [1,830] = 12,7; p < 0.001); (iii) work status, regarding the personal dimensions (F [1, 830] = 7.0, p < 0.01) and institutional (F [1,830] = 24,1; < 0.001); (iv) academic status (quota holders and non-quota holders), with regard to the institutional dimension (F [1, 830] = 4.9, p < 0.05).