Navigating the Transition: Factors Impacting Academic Success and Challenges Faced by First Semester Student Athletes in College

The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that influenced first-semester college-athletes’ ability to succeed academically in the transition to collegiate life, focusing specifically on not only the factors that contributed to academic success but also those the athletes considered to be challenges or barriers during their first semester in college. Interviews (N = 9) were conducted with first-year college-athletes at a Division II regional university in the northeast United States over a two-year period to identify not only the factors that contributed to academic success but also those the athletes considered to be challenges or barriers during their first semester in college. Five themes emerged from the analysis of the data: (a) expectations, (b) accountability, (c) responsibility, (d) resources, and (e) support. The findings suggest opportunities for athletic departments, student affairs, and faculty to provide time management and organization skill training, help identify expectations, and encourage the use of resources to support students’ academic journey.