Coming Soon: The Ten Stages of Transition from High School to College

The transition from high school to college, particularly for students who leave home and live in campus residence halls, is a challenge for nearly all students. However, some students find it more daunting than others.  Experienced counselors, both in high schools and on college campuses, have learned to recognize the stages that most students go through, beginning at the end of senior year, through the summer after graduation, and continuing through freshman year of college.  But most students have only a vague idea of what this transition will be like and are therefore stunned by the challenges they encounter.  First generation students, in particular, are likely to encounter surprises because their parents, having not attended college, haven’t had discussions with them about what to expect.

Several years ago, Jane McClure created a workshop for students using Dr. R. Fred Zuker’s “Ten Stages in the Transition from High School to College,” which she has conducted for many different groups of college-bound seniors.  Beginning in February 2013 and continuing through August, Jane will write a monthly blog addressing one or two of these stages each month, along with suggestions for how to cope with the typical difficulties faced by students and their parents.  McClure has received feedback from many students over the years who have told her that knowing ahead of time what to expect made all the difference in being able to handle situations and events that would otherwise have “thrown them into a panic.”  Stay tuned!

Jane McClure is a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP 1605) and educational consultant whose work has focused on college counseling and psychoeducational evaluations.  McClure was a partner at San Francisco’s McClure, Mallory, Baron & Ross for more than 20 years.  R. Fred Zuker, Ph.D., has been a leader in higher education for over thirty years, most recently as President of Lambuth University. In addition, he has served as Admissions Director at Tulane University and Pomona College, and held key leadership roles at the University of California and the University of Dallas. Dr. R. Fred Zuker has written widely on the transition of students from high school to college.