The Grad's Playbook: Enhancing the Onboarding and New Student Orientation Experience

Graduate students often describe the transition into their programs as both exciting and overwhelming. New Student onboarding and orientation play an important role in helping them feel prepared, connected, and supported, yet many universities still approach these processes in a limited way. This study explored how graduate onboarding can better address student needs by drawing on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Senge’s Five Disciplines of a Learning Organization.

Using a mixed-methods sequential design, the researchers invited 239 newly admitted graduate students to participate, of whom 65 consented and completed a post-orientation survey examining their feelings of preparedness, belonging, and confidence. In addition, 24 university departments were identified through the campus directory as having direct involvement with graduate students, and 20 participated in focus groups that provided insights to guide the development of The Grad’s Playbook, an interactive EPUB orientation guide, as well as identify areas for institutional improvement. Three themes stood out: the importance of clear communication, the value of community and peer connections, and the need for flexible support that recognizes students’ diverse circumstances. Overall, students reported increased confidence and a stronger sense of belonging after orientation.

These findings highlighted the potential of onboarding that is intentional, holistic, and student-centered. The study offered a model for designing orientation programs that not only provide information but also foster connections and encourage graduate students to see themselves as part of a learning community.