Adaptation to University Life in First-Semester Students from Rural Environments

Abstract

Justification: adapting to university life is essential for the academic and personal success of students, especially in their early stages, as it can influence their performance and overall well-being. Objective: to evaluate the degree of adaptation to university among first-semester students from rural areas at a public university in zone 4 of Ecuador. Methodology: this was a non-experimental, quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study with a sample of 650 students (36% women and 64% men), with an average age of 22.23 years. The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ-E) was used to assess four dimensions: academic, social, institutional, and personal-emotional adaptation. Results: 56.9% of the students showed a moderate level of overall adaptation, while 40% adapted at a high level and 3.1% exhibited low adaptation. In academic adaptation, 63.1% were at a medium level, with 33.8% at a high level. For social adaptation, 60% showed a medium level of adaptation, and 32.3% a high level. However, in personal-emotional adaptation, 32.3% experienced significant difficulties, falling into the low category. Conclusion: addressing these emotional aspects could be key to improving the university experience and facilitating a more comprehensive adjustment to academic life.