The Main Transition Issues For Students Are:

1. Academic issues such as adjusting to a change in teaching and learning styles; differing expectations about grades and assessment tasks; an increased level of independent work with fewer guidelines; increased importance of assessment tasks.
2. Geographic issues such as becoming orientated to a new environment. Students may also have to change their travel or accommodation arrangements. Finding shortcuts around campus (so they can get from one side to the other in time for lectures), finding a comfortable place for lunch, and even finding where the toilets are can all present hurdles especially in students' early days on campus.
3. Administrative issues such as taking responsibility for their own affairs including email, enrolment procedures, HECS dates, timetables, assessment dates and on-line course material. University students also need to identify when they have a problem and seek early help from the many services available on campus.
4. Personal issues include the need to make new friends, the loss of old friendship networks and different relationships with teaching staff. Students often gain greater personal independence at this stage and while they can benefit from finding their own group, they can feel the lack of the closer family and peer support they experienced in VCE.

There are similarities between being at school  and being at uni, which can help students interpret the new environment, such as:

• Being a member of an educational institution
• Being a student
• A network of supportive friends aids success
• Teachers who are specialised in their academic discipline
• The level of work required for success is the same as at school
• Extra-curricular activities enhance students' experience
• Support is available when students need it

• A good match between students' interests and the course/subjects
• The course meets the student's expectations
• The student has high level self-management skills
• The student is resilient and open about their needs
• The student communicates freely with teaching and administrative staff

• University publications and websites
• Discovery day or other open days
• School visits to campus
• Individual visits to campus
• Services websites and information
• Buddy programs
• Uni visits to schools
• Degrees of freedom video and kit for schools
• The transition program website
• School visits by uni staff
• Old school network-school alumni at different tertiary institutions
• Recent graduates and current students from the tertiary institution can be asked to speak at school events.
• Remember to investigate resources and services-what are facilities like?
• What support is available? What amenities fees are charged?

University of Melbourne transition activities

• Welcome day - end of January
• The host program-students connected to other first years in their faculty
• Faculty/departmental camps and events
• Study group programs
• Mentor schemes
• Faculty 101- first year transition program
• Study skills seminars

• Discuss the changes that will occur
• Talk about the difficulties that may need to be faced
• Advise the student (and family) to become familiar with the new environment
• Encourage your student to investigate all the courses she/he is interested in
• Begin planning early - colleges ,budgets, course details , travel , important dates
• Further develop skills in information technology , an important uni medium.
• Keep in contact with the school's careers counsellor
• Use the Transition Program website
• Teach/model advocacy and negotiation skills
• Support and at the same time foster independence
• Help the student (and family) realise that study will be a full-time 'job'

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