The relationship between background variables and the academic performance of college frehmen

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Authors
Sowles, Gregory S.
Advisor
Wenck, L. Stanley (Lewis Stanley)
Issue Date
1991
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (Ph. D.)
Department
Department of Educational Psychology
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to provide information about those variables which are predictive of academic success during the freshmen year of college in order to aid high school counselors and college admissions personnel with students pursuing postsecondary education. Subjects were 87 randomly sampled mid-western freshmen students who were administered the Interpersonal Problem Solving Assessment Technique (IPSAT) by Nowinski and Getter (1977) and surveyed to determine their birth order positions. High school grade point average (HSGPA), collegiate entrance examination scores on either the SAT or ACT, and college grade point average (CGPA) were gathered from students' collegiate records. Pearson correlations were computed for all predictors and the criterion. Collegiate entrance examination math and verbal scores were significantly correlated with students age and HSGPA. Gender was significantly correlated with IPSAT effectiveness scores and collegiate entrance examination math scores. HSGPA was significantly correlated with CGPA. Multiple regression analyses were employed to determine which variables had predictive utility. Both simple and stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that HSGPA was the only variable which significantly predicted CGPA. Post hoc analysis revealed that collegiate entrance examination math, verbal subtest scores, and true ordinal position did not add to the prediction of CGPA. These findings support previous investigations which promoted the use of HSGPA and questioned the validity of collegiate entrance examinations such as the SAT or ACT for predicting college success.