University Housing reports that freshmen living in residence halls earn higher grade-point averages (GPAs) than those who live off campus. Moreover, first-year students participating in Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) get better grades than their peers who go at it alone.

For Fall Term 2001, freshmen living in the residence halls earned a 2.95 GPA compared to the 2.75 GPA achieved by freshmen living off campus. This trend held true throughout the academic year.

During the same period, FIG participants recorded a 3.05 GPA, compared to a 2.94 average for nonparticipating students.

The academic success of FIG participants can be attributed, at least partly, to faculty involvement in the programs for groups of 25 freshmen, all of whom enroll in a cluster of classes centered on a common theme. FIG organizers recruit faculty members who can offer freshmen a unique opportunity to connect not only with the university but also with a close-knit group of peers with similar academic and social interests.

"The first term of the freshman year is vital," says Mike Eyster, assistant vice president for student affairs and housing director. "Freshmen in FIG programs come to know that their instructors aren't scary, authoritative figures, but approachable people who wish to help."