First-Year Experience (FYE) courses are found in colleges across the United States to support students’ transition to college (McBride et al., 2021, Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition 33:99–119, Young & Keup, 2016, New Directions for Community Colleges 2016:57–69). This study explored how bridging pedagogical and andragogical principles in an intentionally designed book study and experiential learning project influenced 89 first-year college students’ perceptions of their self-efficacy. Pre- and post-surveys and classroom artifacts were used to collect data on participants’ perceptions of their self-efficacy related to peer collaboration, institutional support, motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. Findings revealed that participants’ comfort levels in study strategies, peer collaboration, use of university resources, and academic research increased from the start to the end of the book study and experiential learning project. Results of this study can be utilized as a guide for instructors/programs in the design and implementation of their courses to best support first-year students’ perceptions of self-efficacy and their persistence to graduation.
