This study uses qualitative methods to investigate the expectations and perceptions of freshmen at a regional university. Research suggests that stratification in American higher education has resulted in differing student populations at different types of institutions, and that regional universities and their students are underrepresented in the literature. The study examines the utility of Arnett's emerging adults model to describe how freshmen at a regional university perceive the role of college in their lives. Application of metaphor theory reveals that students view college as either a commodity to be exchanged for a desired future outcome, or as one of a sequence of steps leading to their future. Students in this study were also not aware of having formed an aspiration to attend college, which is inconsistent with the college choice literature.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study uses qualitative methods to investigate the expectations and perceptions of freshmen at a regional university. Research suggests that stratification in American higher education has resulted in differing student populations at different types of institutions, and that regional universities and their students are underrepresented in the literature. The study examines the utility of Arnett's emerging adults model to describe how freshmen at a regional university perceive the role of college in their lives. Application of metaphor theory reveals that students view college as either a commodity to be exchanged for a desired future outcome, or as one of a sequence of steps leading to their future. Students in this study were also not aware of having formed an aspiration to attend college, which is inconsistent with the college choice literature.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wolter, Diane J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Margaret Healy"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:26:17Z","subjects":["college aspiration, college choice, commodification, emerging adults, expectations"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.und.edu/theses/1329","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Margaret Healy"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wolter, Diane J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["college aspiration, college choice, commodification, emerging adults, expectations"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.und.edu/theses/1329"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study uses qualitative methods to investigate the expectations and perceptions of freshmen at a regional university. Research suggests that stratification in American higher education has resulted in differing student populations at different types of institutions, and that regional universities and their students are underrepresented in the literature. The study examines the utility of Arnett's emerging adults model to describe how freshmen at a regional university perceive the role of college in their lives. Application of metaphor theory reveals that students view college as either a commodity to be exchanged for a desired future outcome, or as one of a sequence of steps leading to their future. Students in this study were also not aware of having formed an aspiration to attend college, which is inconsistent with the college choice literature.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Emerging Adults In College: Assessing Expectations And Perceptions"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Margaret Healy"],"dc:creator":["Wolter, Diane J."],"dc:description.abstract":["This study uses qualitative methods to investigate the expectations and perceptions of freshmen at a regional university. Research suggests that stratification in American higher education has resulted in differing student populations at different types of institutions, and that regional universities and their students are underrepresented in the literature. The study examines the utility of Arnett's emerging adults model to describe how freshmen at a regional university perceive the role of college in their lives. Application of metaphor theory reveals that students view college as either a commodity to be exchanged for a desired future outcome, or as one of a sequence of steps leading to their future. Students in this study were also not aware of having formed an aspiration to attend college, which is inconsistent with the college choice literature.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.und.edu/theses/1329"],"dc:subject":["college aspiration, college choice, commodification, emerging adults, expectations"],"dc:title":["Emerging Adults In College: Assessing Expectations And Perceptions"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:26:17Z"}