The National Survey of First-Year Practices is designed to investigate the first college year in American higher education. This electronic survey is comprised of two sections. The first focuses on the curriculum and is designed to be completed by chief academic officers or their designates. The second section focuses on the co-curriculum and is designed to be completed by chief student affairs officers or their designates. This survey is one of the core activities of the Policy Center on the First Year of College, a center that is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Atlantic Philanthropies and located on the campus of Brevard College in Brevard, NC. The survey will be administered to a stratified random sample of institutional administrators (both two- and four-year) in September of 2000, and results will be available on the Policy Center Web site in mid-December. Survey results will comprise the first-ever comprehensive portrait of programs, policies, and practices currently employed in the first college year in American higher education and will allow institutions to compare and contrast themselves with similar institutions. The survey will also begin a process of determining "best practice" or "benchmark quality" programs designed for first-year students. Principal investigator for this project is Dr. Betsy Barefoot, the Center's Co-Director. The survey instrument was designed by Dr. Barefoot, (barefoot@fyfoundations.org) Dr. Randy L. Swing, Associate Director (swing@fyfoundations.org), and Dr. John N. Gardner, Executive Director (gardner@fyfoundations.org). You are invited to direct questions about this instrument or any other activity of the Policy Center to any of the above individuals.