Inside Higher Ed

Students’ Sense of Belonging Varies by Identity and Institution | Inside Higher Ed

A new study shows that minority and first-generation students have a higher sense of belonging at two-year colleges than their counterparts at four-year institutions. Researchers who conducted the study also found that while racial-ethnic minority and first-generation students at four-year institutions are less inclined to feel that same sense of belonging, first-year students at both two-year and four-year colleges and universities said they “somewhat agree” that they belong on their campuses. The students rated their experiences on campus using a “belonging scale” of one to five with four representing that they “somewhat agree” they feel a sense of belonging.