What is meant by academic integration is to become involved in the course, and essentially ‘doing the
course’. This may involve being active in group work, organising yourself well, seeking help when it is
required etc., and is measured primarily, according to Tinto, by academic performance and intellectual
development. Social integration on the other hand may be having an active social life with friends on
the course, participating in University societies or activities, or simply knowing and speaking to peers.
However, successful integration involves more than simply ‘having’ these interactions. It requires
students to see themselves as a “competent member of an academic or social community within the
university” (Beder, 1997). It is intuitive that having these friends and feeling confident in being part of
the university culture provides a good support network when problems arise, and so persistence is more
likely. Conversely, students who do not become suitably integrated have feel alienated and may not
deal with difficulties so well, making dropout more likely.