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Abstract
Supportive peer relationships are central to a successful transition to college. However, less is known about how both familiar ties (pre-existing relationships) and new ties (relationships formed after arriving on campus) contribute to students’ sense of belonging and school connectedness during the early transition period. This study examined the role of these distinct peer connections in the emerging personal networks of first-year students at the University of Georgia using an ego-centric network methodology. Participants included 143 first-year students who identified members of their personal networks approximately 4–8 weeks after arriving on campus. For each network member, students provided demographic and contextual information and reported whether they knew the person prior to starting college. Participants also completed measures of general belongingness and school connectedness. Results indicated that the presence of familiar ties did not predict general belongingness, but greater perceived closeness with familiar ties was associated with higher belongingness for men. The number of new ties significantly predicted students’ school connectedness, and instrumental support from new ties enhanced connectedness. Pre-college extracurricular involvement did not significantly predict the number of new ties formed. This study highlights how the ego-centric network approach can capture the nuanced structure and function of students’ support networks and provides implications for supporting students’ early college adjustment.