A Phenomenological Study of Academic Advising Through the Lens of First-Year Community College Students

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the academic advising experiences of first-year community college students at a rural community college located in Eastern North Carolina. The theory guiding this study is Vygotsky's social constructivism. A qualitative methodology was used to achieve this study. The setting for this study was a community college located in a rural community with an enrollment of at least 1,200 students. A purposeful criterion sampling of 10 first-year community college students was used to help complete this study. Data was collected using individual interviews, focus groups, and letter writing. The data was analyzed using Moustakas's (1994) approach of identifying the phenomenon being studied, bracketing out one's experiences, and collecting data from the participants who have experienced the phenomenon. The central research question for this study is: What are the lived academic advising experiences of first-year community college students? Data collected from this study resulted in common themes identified with first-year community college students. The themes included guidance and support, information accessibility, relationship building, and communication. The research findings indicate that academic advising is necessary for all first-year community college students. Meeting student's needs early in their educational journey can lead to student retention and success.