Ball, Isabelle; Banerjee, Moitree; Holliman, Andrew; Tyndall, Ian; (2025) Investigating Success in the Transition to University: A Systematic Review of Operationalisations of ‘Success’. Educational Psychology Review , 37 (4) , Article 102. 10.1007/s10648-025-10080-w.

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Abstract

The transition to university is a challenging period for students, and it can have a range of negative consequences for them if it is not successful. Many stakeholders, not to mention the students themselves, want to ensure this transition is as successful as possible to ensure positive outcomes. As such, a body of research has attempted to explore this transition with the aim of identifying profiles of students, potential risk factors, and to tailor support and university induction activities. Though noble in intention, the literature body is highly disparate and contains methodological inconsistencies and flaws that make navigating the findings and moving to the development of practical applications for ensuring successful student transition difficult. The present paper consolidates part of a larger systematic review (preregistered on PROSPERO, CRD42022330515) to highlight the diverse range of operationalisations of the said student transition ‘success’. From the 55 retained papers, 34 different measures are discussed in relation to ten higher-order domains. We propose a more parsimonious framework for a tripartite definition of success including a balance between academic outcomes, psychosocial development, and health and wellbeing.

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