ABSTRACT
This study deals w i t h the relat ionship between the structure of social networks and their role i n p r o v i d i n g social support to students i n their first and second years of college. Students enter ing college are unconnected w i t h , and at tempting to become integrated into, the academic c o m m u n i t y . It seems l ike ly that the extent to w h i c h freshpersons develop on-campus social networks, as w e l l as the characteristics of these social networks, w i l l affect their integration into the academic c o m m u n i t y . Social integration into this c o m m u n i t y is seen as h e l p i n g the student meet the demands of school l i fe , such as achieving academic success, deve loping a c o m m i t m e n t to the college or univers i ty , and deal ing w i t h stress.
