Experiences of Foundation Year Students at Oman College of Health Sciences

Abstract

Joining college for the first time might be a difficult experience for most students as the transitional stage from being a student of secondary school to one in a college can lead to problems in terms of adjusting to college life. There are multiple aspects that students need to adjust to in college life such as social, academic, lifestyle, institutional attachment, and personal-emotional aspects. The aim of this project was to identify the common adjustment issues among first-year students enrolled in the foundation program at the Oman College of Health Sciences (OCHS). To achieve the purpose of the project, a survey comprising 26 points and subdivided into four parts was designed using a Likert-type scale. A sample of 200 first-year students (mean age=19yrs.) at OCHS were randomly selected to be surveyed from total of 374 students. However, only 188 students participated in the survey: 48 males (25.5%), and 140 females (74.5%). The gathered data were entered and analyzed through the google forms service. The results showed lack of entertainment to be the main issue with first-year students followed by concerning economic problems, social and wellbeing issues. The findings indicated that Extracurricular Activities (ECAs) within and outside the college play an important role in the students’ academic performances and have positive effects on their lives. Such students will also be able to alter their behavior, improve their learning, develop their personality, and increase their teamwork and leadership skills.