First-Year StudentAcademic Achievementat Four-Year Universities

Joan V. MillerPennsylvania State University

Hi Ed 556

Relevant Statistical Data

40% of all college students leave before completing their degree (Porter, 1990)

Only 55% of undergraduates who enrolled in a four year institution in 1995-1996 earned a bachelor’s degree within six years (Lotkowski, Robbins & Noeth, 2004)

The highest percentage of students who leave do so within their first year (Tinto, 1973)

More than 30% of first-year students do not return for their second year (Smith, 2002)

Academic Achievement/GPA The college outcome that is the best predictor of first-

year student persistence to their second year (Nora, Cabrera, Hagedorn & Pascarella, 1996)

Both large national studies and small single institution studies show college grades to be the most statistically significant consistent indicator of student persistence and degree completion (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)

An important component of student success (Kuh, 2007)

The higher a student’s first-year grade point average (GPA), the less likely they were to drop out (Ishitani & DesJardins, 2002)

Academic Achievement

Persistence

Retention

O

Variable Affecting the Academic Achievement of First-Year Students

Pre-college abilities

◦ High school GPA

◦ Standardized achievement test ( SAT/ACT)

◦ (Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, Kinzie & Gonyea, 2008;

◦ Lotkowski, Robbins & Noeth, 2004;

◦ DeBard, Speilman, & Julka, 2004)

◦ Academic motivation and self-efficacy – mixed results

◦ (Gifford, Briceno-Perriott & Mianzo, 2006; Lotkowski, Robbins & Noeth, 2004; Reynolds & Weigand, 2010)

◦ Resiliency - significantly related to first-year GPA◦ (Reynolds & Weigand, 2010; DeBerard, Speilmans & Julka, 2004)

◦ Self-control – significant predictor of college GPA◦ (Mansfield, Pinto, Parente & Wortman, 2009; Gifford, Briceno-Perriott, & Mianzo, 2006; Stupinsky,

Renaud, Perry, Ruthig, Haynes & Clifton, 2007)

◦ Locus of control – internal higher GPA ◦ (Gifford, Briceno-Perriott & Mianzo, 2006)

◦ Self-regulation – some aspects such as time management contribute to variance in GPA

◦ (Kitsantas, Winsler & Huie, 2008)

Personal/Psychological Characteristics

Both academic variable and non-academic variables affect student achievement (Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004)

“To effectively provide early interventions and attention to transitioning first-year students, institutions must understand who its students are, what they are prepared to do academically and what they expect of the institution and themselves”(Kuh, Cruce,

Shoup, Kinzie, & Gonyea, 2008)

Academic Achievement

O

Persistence

Retention

IAcademic Variables• High School

GPA• Achievement

Scores• SAT/ACT• SES

+Non-Academic Variables • Age, Race,

Gender• Psychological Characteristics/ Attitudes

• Resiliency• Self-

regulation• Motivatio

n• Self-

confidence

• Self-efficacy

• Self-control

Academic Habits

Environmental Program Variables Mentoring -statistically significant evidence of increased

GPA (Salainitri, 2005)

Living Learning Communities – mixed results

Freshman Interest Groups were significant (Pasque & Murphy, 2005; Purdie &

Rosser, 2011; Noble, Flynn & Hilton, 2007-2008)

Engagement – positively related to academic outcomes (Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, Kinzie & Gonyea, 2008; Keup, 2006)

Support Services: Academic and Social ◦ Supplemental Instruction (SI); Student Support Services (SSS);

Multicultural Centers – all found to enhance achievement (Lotkowski, Robbins & Noeth, 2004;Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)

First-Year Seminars- typically related to improved achievement (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Jamelske, 2007)

I

Academic Variables• High School

GPA• Achievement

Scores• SAT/ACT• SES

+Non -Academic Variables • Age, Race,

Gender• Psychological Characteristics/ Attitudes

• Resiliency• Self-

regulation• Motivation• Self-

confidence• Self-

efficacy• Self-

controlAcademic Habits

Academic Achievement

Persistence

Retention

OE

First-Year Seminars

Living-Learning Communities

Support Services

Social/Academic

Mentoring

ApplicabilityFirst-year students

Four-Year Universities

Some variation across institutional types, gender, race and ethnicty

Generally findings applied to all students

RecommendationsAdministration/Strategic Planning

Admissions Orientation Placement Testing

Student Affairs-Program Planning

Faculty

Questions?

Thank you!jxm1063@psu.edu