Assessing students? perceptions of fit between secondary and higher education: a validation study of the SPFQ

Supporting first-year students to adjust to their new academic environment is a crucial task in higher education. Investigating students? perceptions of fit between secondary and higher education could give higher education institutions valuable information for student feedback and support, when captured in a reliable and valid way. This study examines the construct validity, reliability, and criterion-related validity of the Students? Perceived Fit Questionnaire (SPFQ) by using a longitudinal dataset (N?=?930, first-year students). The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure measuring students? perceptions of: 1) the extent to which secondary education prepared them for higher education in terms of content knowledge; 2) resemblance in the teaching approach between secondary and higher education, and 3) the need to adapt to their higher education study programme. Concerning the criterion-related validity, it was found that first-year students who experienced similarities in teaching approach are more likely to persist in their studies. Furthermore, our results indicated that first-year students who experienced less need to adapt to their higher education study programme felt more self-efficacious regarding their own learning and, consequently, were more likely to persist in their studies.