The contribution of vocational preparation in the context of the psychosocial adaptation process to university studies

This research aims to analyze the experiences of first-year students during their process of adaptation to university. Ten participants were interviewed at two points in time: (1) during the transition from high school (grade 12) to university, and (2) at the end of their undergraduate studies. A phenomenological qualitative analysis of interviews was conducted. Results highlighted that participants had to adapt to unknowns such as a new social environment and academic requirements that could result in unexpected psychological challenges. Furthermore, the adaptation process to university studies is facilitated by the sufficient development of vocational preparation during high school years.