Physics Students' Perceptions of Transitions to University

The transition from high school to university can often be challenging, due to changes in expectations, responsibilities, self-regulation and pacing, and depth of coursework. Whether students have experienced a physics course in high school or not, some students experience their first physics course among all these other challenges, which may impact how they approach and perceive their class. At San José State University, we surveyed students during their first university physics course, to ask them to compare and contrast their experiences in high school and college. We asked them to share about their confidence in time management and course content, their sense of control and ownership of their learning, and how they perceive the community and available support structures for their success. Along with these questions, students were also asked to specify their emotional response to each, and were invited to elaborate in open-ended responses. In this presentation, we will share direct survey results as well as themes from the quantitative and open-ended results which may inform future support for students transitioning into college physics.