Students are particularly vulnerable at the beginning of the course, or semester; they may need more support. Researchers have shown that the introduction of orientation courses has resulted in higher academic achievement and lower drop-out rates.

How to Reverse the Effects of Higher Education Misconceptions 

The realities of college/university life can cause significant distress, poor academic performance, and increased drop-out rates when it’s not dealt with early on.

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Incoming students usually aren’t prepared for the workload of higher education, and overestimate the amount of contact they’ll have with their instructors and other staff. There are also unrealistic beliefs about class size, and how much of a personal relationship they’ll get with their instructors. The switch from highly controlled, teacher-driven classes in K-12 schooling to being independent for their own learning, is often thought of to be the biggest challenge for incoming students.

Common Misconceptions Students Have About College/University

Instructors expect student to be fully independent learners by the time they’ve enrolled in college, although their previous schools haven’t truly set them up for that independence. Staff considers “independent study” and self “critical evaluations” as key components to success in their courses. Instructors and students actually see eye-to-eye on most issues except what factors contribute to academic failure. 

Common Misconceptions Instructors Have About Incoming Students

Hassel, S., & Ridout, N. (2018, January 26). An investigation of first-year students' and lecturers' expectations of University Education. Frontiers. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02218/full 

An Investigation of First-Year Students' and Lecturers' Expectations of University Education

Analyses revealed that 18–19-year-old students expected more information-transmitting teacher-focuses approaches than older students. This means that these students expected that lecturers would give extensive written notes, and would be more integrated in their learning and studying process. I-T T-F approaches is the style of teaching that’s much more common in K-12 schooling, and that younger students are used to experiencing. 

Information-Transmitting Teacher-Focused Approaches

Impact of Misconceptions on Students 

Students often attribute poor academic performance to external causes such as part-time work, whereas lecturers often believe that it’s poor preparation and a lack of studying that result in poor performances (internal factors). Throughout their disparities, there was a tendency for blame-attribution. Students blamed lecturers for academic failure, but lecturers blamed students for their own academic failure. Students and lecturers also significantly differed on the importance placed on “regular attendance at lectures.” Students didn't expect to attend all lectures, and didn't consider irregular lecture attendance to affect their academic success. Lecturers expected students to regularly attend lectures and linked attendance to success.


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