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Conducting good assessment studies and using them to influence policy and practice may well determine the future of student affairs. But many student affairs professionals are stalled in their efforts to develop an assessment strategy. Many haven't even started. Before you can begin, say the authors, it's important to know the facts.

While much is known about the role of student involvement in various dimensions of student change and development, considerably less is known abouthow students become involved as they make the transition from work or high school to college. This paper describes the results of a series of focus-group interviews with 132 diverse, new students entering a community college; a liberal arts college; an urban, commuter, comprehensive university; and a large research university. The study identifies the people, experiences, and themes in the processes through which students become (or fail to become) members of the academic and social communities on their campus.

The authors trace the history of student development theory and then review theories that are now in use or emerging.