Gabriella Patterson, a double major in wellness management and psychology, will present research at Quest on April 23 that examines how to better prepare students for success in college and beyond.

The "College Readiness Among First-Year Students" project –- which is also Patterson’s senior honors thesis –- surveyed SUNY Oswego first-year students and looked at wider trends regarding how well-prepared students are to survive and thrive in higher education. The presentation will be part of the Health Promotion and Wellness Department's "Wellness in Action" session from 10 a.m. to noon in 225 Marano Campus Center.

Patterson cited a survey by the New York State Comptroller’s Office that found almost 50 percent of students statewide were not fully prepared with the skills or behaviors to succeed on a college level. Patterson’s data can better inform students on the skills they might need, university administrators on how to support success and high schools on what information can prepare students heading for college.

“We wanted to see what it’s like for first-year students trying to determine if they are prepared to succeed or continue their studies,” Patterson explained. 

The goal is to be more action-oriented in terms of helping students.

“We wanted to see what’s holding them back, and what they need more support in,” Patterson said. “It could be letting them know who to speak with, what resources are available.”

Building relationships

Working with health promotion and wellness faculty members and mentors Jessica Harris and Elizabeth Kieda, Patterson designed and administered a survey aimed toward first-year students who were recently high school graduates. The survey measured five areas of readiness: academic, admissions, social and personal, career and financial.

“I wanted to find out if they know what to do academically and what resources are available,” Patterson said. Many areas play key roles.

“Relationships made in college are important to staying in college because it supports their sense of belonging,” Patterson noted. “Also, 57.1 percent said they found they benefit from studying with friends or classmates.”

While still analyzing the data, Patterson found some interesting pieces across the areas, such as students being keenly aware of how much they are paying and some ways to save money, but not always completely understanding financial resources available to them.

The survey found that students tend to struggle to stay engaged in classes outside their major or which they find as relevant to their studies, although most said they spend a lot of time learning the material across their classes.

Patterson said that students thought positively about faculty, and Harris said this collaboration is a good model in itself on how students can thrive.

“It’s very important for the student body to see us as resources,” Harris noted.

“We do a lot of research with students in our department,” Harris said. “It’s important to be available and accessible, and to develop relationships. Gabby is one of many students in our program doing fabulous research.”

Survey supporting success

As SUNY Oswego ponders moves such as requiring first-year seminars for all students and other methods to support them holistically, the survey can help, Harris said.

“For us, the data is very relevant and timely,” Harris said. “It’s also timely in a world of mental health discussions, and with our campus working on helping increase financial awareness for students. And just letting them know who’s available to help.”

“This also can inform where students are coming from, K-12 schools and particularly high schools,” Keida said. “It can provide information on what high schools could do to help these students. It can help with decisions on our campus and even before these students reach our campus.”

“Many of these skills are ones best taught at the high school level,” Patterson said.

Harris and Keida are working with Patterson on potentially getting this research published in journals or disseminated in other ways to help solve these challenges.

The faculty members also complimented Patterson’s thorough work on this research, while pursuing a double major, serving on several organizations’ executive boards and writing for The Oswegonian. 

“Gabby is very prepared and has a lot of grit and drive,” Harris noted, adding that Patterson had the work habits and preparation on the level of some doctoral students.

“She’s doing a great job of taking class content and applying it to real life,” Keida said.

Quest, SUNY Oswego’s celebration of scholarly and creative activities, unfolds across the lakeside campus on Wednesday, April 23, after an April 22 evening kickoff poster session at its Syracuse Campus. For more information, visit oswego.edu/quest.