NSSENSSENSSE
It is important to feel part of a community early in a student’s college experience, and having a major may play a role. We found that first-year students with a declared major feel a greater sense of belonging than those who are undecided (d < .3). The senior year is an important time for students to focus on socialization to their field and sense of belonging can matter for that integration.
91%feel comfortable being themselves
75%feel valued
76%feel like part of the community
Seniors majoring in health professions, education, business, and social service professions are most likely to feel valued by their institution (78–80% agreement; Figure 1) while those in arts and humanities, engineering, physical sciences, math, and computer science are lowest on this measure (67–69% agreement). Interestingly, belongingness may inspire students to pursue postgraduate study; seniors with a higher sense of belonging more frequently aspire (p < .001) to complete a graduate or professional degree.
