Sophomore Slump: Real or Myth? Suzanne Rose, B.S.Ed., B.F.A.

Abstract: Masters Candidate, Higher Education Student Affairs Implications For practice:
Sophomore Slump: Real or Myth? focuses on Western Carolina WCU sophomore students indicated that they found academics
University (WCU) sophomore students' perception of their Western Carolina University more difficult during their sophomore year. This finding could
experience during sophomore year in relation to the imply the need for WCU to implement academic supports
"sophomore slump. The sophomore slump is the idea that Methodology: specifically addressing sophomore students needs, such as
students experience more difficulties on campus during the The purpose of this study was to determine if students at WCU tend to find their experience during sophomore year more peer mentor programs, faculty-student mentorship, or living on
second year of college. The lack of institutional supports present challenging without the institutional supports that were present during their first year of college. campus and/or upperclassman living-learning communities in
during the second year of college unlike in the first year of residence halls (Graunke & Woosley, 2005; Kennedy-Phillips &
college where institutional support was abundant, both Research Design and Data Collection: Uhrig, 2013; Morrow & Ackermann, 2012; Sanchez-Leguelinel,
curricular and co-curricular, could be a cause for this 2008; Tower et al., 2015; Wang & Kennedy-Phillips, 2013).
This study is quantitative in nature. An electronic survey was distributed via email. The survey included multiple choice
phenomenon. The study uses quantitative methods to survey
questions regarding sophomore year. The survey was emailed to all residential students to avoid excluding students who
sophomore students at WCU to assess their sophomore year
experience.
are not categorized by WCU as sophomore students (by credit hours completed) versus those who consider themselves Suggestions for Future research:
sophomore students (by number of semesters at WCU). Surveying sophomore students who have moved off campus
could provide different insight into the experience of off-
Background: Limitations: campus sophomore students. Reevaluation of the survey
Few definitive explanations of the sophomore slump have been A major limitation of the study is that some students continued to take the survey after answering no to being a questions would be necessary. If applied at other institutions,
determined since Freedman (1956) first noted the dissatisfaction sophomore student rather than using the skip question option on the survey and threatens the internal validity of the student responses could vary based on the type of programs
sophomore students appeared to experience at their study. In addition, only residential students at WCU were surveyed. and institutional supports offered to first-year students by each
institutions. Literature and research on this subject is minimal institution.
with varied findings. Themes throughout the literature include
sophomore retention and intention to persist, implementation
of institutional supports to combat the sophomore slump, and Findings: References:
self-efficacy in relation to student success. The literature is The data indicates that WCU sophomore students found sophomore year more difficult academically, not necessarily the Freedman, M. B. (1956). The passage through college. Journal of Social Issues,
12(4), 13-28.
consistent in agreeing that sophomore students receive the least overall experience of sophomore year. Responses indicated that sophomore year was similar or the same to their first year,
Gahagan, J., & Hunter, M. S. (2006). The second-year experience: Turning
attention from their institutions (Graunke & Woosley, 2005; or easier socially. The data also indicates that sophomore students have had a positive experience while living on campus attention to the academy's middle children. About Campus,
Sanchez-Leguelinel, 2008; Wang & Kennedy-Phillips, 2013) and at WCU during their sophomore year. 11(3), 17-22.
that sophomores needs differ from first-year students and other Graunke, S. S., & Woosley, S. A. (2005). An exploration of the factors that
upperclassmen (Graunke & Woosley, 2005). Many researchers Are you a sophomore student by credit hours or Do you feel that you have had a positive experience affect the academic success of college sophomores. College
number of semesters spent at WCU? living on campus during sophomore year? Student Journal, 39(2), 367-376.
contended that institutional supports for sophomore students
could assist in their matriculation to graduation (Gahagan and Both credit hours and number of Kennedy-Phillips, L. C., & Uhrig, K. J. (2013). Measuring the second-year
56.7 I do not feel that I have had a positive
Hunter, 2006; Kennedy-Phillips, L. C., & Uhrig, K. J., 2013; semester spent 13.7 transformational experience program (STEP) at The Ohio
experience living on campus.
State University. New Directions for Student Services,
Sanchez-Leguelinel, 2008; Tower, Blacklock, Watson, Heffernan, By number of semester spent 12.9
42(no issue), 83-88.
and Tronoff, 2015; Vuong, Brown-Welty, Tracz, 2010). Gahagan I feel that I have had a positive
86.3
and Hunter (2006) noted three types of support initiatives By credit hours 30.4 experience living on campus Morrow, J. A., & Ackermann, M. E. (2012). Intention to persist and retention
institutions can implement for sophomore students: curricular, * Six respondents skipped question * Two respondents skipped question of first-year students: The importance of motivation and
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 50 100 sense of belonging. College Student Journal, 46(3), 483-491.
co-curricular, and residence life, which could support sophomore
students both academically and socially. Others note the Do you feel that your sophomore year has been Do you feel that your sophomore year has been
Sanchez-Leguelinel, C. (2008). Supporting "slumping" sophomores:
importance of self-efficacy for student success (Morrow and 100 100 Programmatic peer initiatives designed to enhance retention
easier academically than your first year on 90
easier socially than your first year on campus?
Ackermann, 2012; Tower, Blacklock, Watson, Heffernan, and 90 in the crucial second year of college. College Student
campus? 80
80 Journal, 42(2), 637-646.
Tronoff, 2015; Vuong, Brown-Welty, Tracz, 2010) as well as 70
70
student involvement, sense of belonging, and commitment to 60 60 Tower, M., Blacklock, E., Watson, B., Heffernan, C., & Tronoff, G. (2015).
55.4
the institution playing a role in the matriculation of sophomore 50 Using social media as a strategy to address sophomore
50 44.8
students (Morrow and Ackermann, 2012; Wang and Kennedy- 40 36.2
slump in second year nursing students: A qualitative study.
40
30 Nurse Education Today, 35(11), 1130-1134.
Phillips, 2013). 30 25.7
20 20 15.5 Vuong, M., Brown-Welty, S., & Tracz, S. (2010). The effects of self-efficacy on
14.3
10 10 3.4 academic success of first-generation college sophomore
4.6
Participants: 0 0
Yes, sophomore No, sophomore Same, first year I did not live on
students. Journal of College Student Development, 51(1), 50-
64.
Yes, sophomore No, sophomore Same, first year I did not attend
For the purposes of this study, I chose to collect data from year has been year has been and sophomore campus my first Wang, X., & Kennedy-Phillips, L. (2013). Focusing on the sophomores:
year has been year has been and sophomore WCU my first year
residential students living on campus in residence halls at WCU. easier more difficult year have been easier socially more difficult year have been year at WCU Characteristics associated with the academic and social
All residential students were included in the sample size, totaling academically academically similar or the socially similar or the involvement of second-year college students. Journal of
same experience same experience College Student Development, 54(5), 541-548.
3,633. The response rate was 177 of 3,633. socially
* Two respondents skipped question academically * Three respondents skipped question