Students who are transitioning from high school to college are faced with separating from family, friends, and a familiar environment---and adjusting to new physical, social, and academic environments, and increased freedom as well as responsibilities. As a result of pre-college experiences, some individuals have been preconditioned for the social and academic aspects of the transition to college; while others (e.g., first-generation college students, socioeconomically disadvantaged, ethnic minorities, etc.) are more likely to be less prepared, face more unknowns, and confront wider social and academic transitional gaps.;This thesis includes a literature review that covers (a) theory related to the processes involved in the transition to college for millennial generation ethnic minority students, (b) institutional practices to enhance individuals' abilities to become successful college students, and (c) an overview of the attributes of online social network services (OSNSs) that offer opportunities to enhance students' ability to successfully negotiate the transition to college. Additionally, a qualitative case study examines how a group of first-year ethnic minority college students at a large Midwestern predominantly White institution used an OSNS to deal with the social aspects of the transition to college and differences in the academic demands of high school and college.