Psychometric properties of the Student - University Match (sum) Questionnaire in Turkish

The aim of this research is to adapt the Student-University Match (SUM) Questionnaire into Turkish. The scale was developed by Wintre vd. (2008) in order to measure how well-matched freshmen students perceived themselves as compatible with universities during their transition period to university at their first year. The scale measures the matching characteristics of the student's individual goals and needs and the opportunities provided by the university. The scale consists of 17 items within the scope of the social dynamics of the university, academic difficulties, program eligibility and physical environment. The high scores obtained from the scale indicate the perception of student-university positive match whereas the low scores indicate the negative-matching perception. In parallel to the development of the original scale, data from the 698 first year university students who began education in different universities of Turkey. SUM Questionnaire, University Life Scale and Personal Information Form were applied. Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Coefficient was determined as .85 for Social, Personal and Environmental Match sub-dimension of the 17 items of SUM; it was determined as .83 for Academic and Intellectual Match sub-dimension, and .90 for the whole scale. Obtained findings support that the items of the SUM Scale homogeneously measure the same psychological structure at the level of whole scale and sub-dimensions, and it is a valid and reliable scale.