Grit as a Predictor of Academic Success at Norwich University

Author(s):  
Kevin Fleming

The focus of the chapter is on grit as a predictor of academic success at Norwich University. Grit scores were obtained for 4,171 incoming freshmen between 2013 and 2019, and these scores were collected again in the sophomore and senior years for all students who persisted. Cumulative GPAs were also obtained along with demographic data for all participants. Grit was found to be a small to moderate predictor of cumulative GPA with r correlations of .110 in the freshman year, .247 in the sophomore year, and .213 in the senior year. In contrast, high school GPA was a strong predictor of cumulative GPA with correlations of .459 in the freshman year, .518 in the sophomore year, and .500 in the senior year. Although grit was not as strong as high school GPA as a predictor of academic success at Norwich University, it was a significant factor, and it became more predictive of cumulative GPA as more credits were earned.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1671
Author(s):  
Maura A. E. Pilotti

In many societies across the globe, females are still underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM fields), although they are reported to have higher grades in high school and college than males. The present study was guided by the assumption that the sustainability of higher education critically rests on the academic success of both male and female students under conditions of equitable educational options, practices, and contents. It first assessed the persistence of familiar patterns of gender bias (e.g., do competencies at enrollment, serving as academic precursors, and academic performance favor females?) in college students of a society in transition from a gender-segregated workforce with marked gender inequalities to one whose aims at integrating into the global economy demand that women pursue once forbidden careers thought to be the exclusive domain of men. It then examined how simple indices of academic readiness, as well as preferences for fields fitting traditional gender roles, could predict attainment of key competencies and motivation to graduate (as measured by the average number of credits completed per year) in college. As expected, females had a higher high school GPA. Once in college, they were underrepresented in a major that fitted traditional gender roles (interior design) and over-represented in one that did not fit (business). Female students’ performance and motivation to graduate did not differ between the male-suited major of business and the female-suited major of interior design. Male students’ performance and motivation to graduate were higher in engineering than in business, albeit both majors were gender-role consistent. Although high school GPA and English proficiency scores predicted performance and motivation for all, preference for engineering over business also predicted males’ performance and motivation. These findings offered a more complex picture of patterns of gender bias, thereby inspiring the implementation of targeted educational interventions to improve females’ motivation for and enrollment in STEM fields, nowadays increasingly available to them, as well as to enhance males’ academic success in non-STEM fields such as business.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Dominique Daniel

A Review of: Fabbi, J. L. (2015). Fortifying the pipeline: A quantitative exploration of high school factors impacting the information literacy of first-year college students. College & Research Libraries, 76(1), 31-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/crl.76.1.31 Abstract Objective – To assess the impact of students’ high school performances on the development of their information literacy (IL) competency. Design – Statistical analysis of test performance. Setting – A large public university in the United States of America. Subjects – 93 first-time college freshmen. Of these, 46% had been admitted on a probationary status due to GPA under the required 3.0 (“alternate admits”), and 61% had not declared a major (“exploring majors”). 39% identified as Caucasian, 25% as Hispanic, 22% as African American, and 15% as Asian. 84% declared that their best language was English only. Methods – Participants were self-selected freshmen who enrolled into programs offered by the university’s Academic Success Center. They took the iSkills test, an online evaluation of information literacy competencies developed by the Educational Testing Service, and provided background data on their high school experience. Using hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the researcher evaluated predictors of iSkills score variance among a range of high school experiences: core high school GPA, number of honours classes taken in high school, and number of research projects or assignments in high school. The analysis controlled for gender, best language, race, and admission status as either alternate admit or exploring major. Main Results – Participants’ mean iSkills scores was below the minimum passing score for the test. There was a significant positive correlation between iSkills scores and exploring major status, core high school GPA, and having taken 5 to 12 honours courses. There was a negative correlation between iSkills scores and language other than English, Asian race, alternate admission status, and having had 1 to 4 honours courses. Among the background variables, the most significant predictor of a student’s iSkills score was his or her best language, followed by race. After controlling for these variables, the most important factors were students’ high school GPAs and the number of honors courses taken. Conclusion – The researcher discovered that the number of honours courses taken in high school is a strong predictor of information literacy competency as measured by the iSkills test. This remains true when controlling for race and other background factors. This finding is consistent with the assumption that high school teachers of honours courses believe their students to be capable of learning higher-order skills and therefore adopt a constructivist pedagogy, and that such pedagogy promotes the development of information literacy skills. Yet the number of high school research projects or assignments could not be statistically correlated to information literacy competency. In subsequent focus groups, students who had taken fewer honours courses expressed test anxiety, while students who had taken numerous honours courses expressed their determination to get the correct answer. This may inform one surprising result of the study: that students who took 13 or more honours courses in high school did not score significantly better on the iSkills test than those who took 5 to 12 courses.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke D'Aloisio

<p>Research reveals that the majority of students are unprepared in making the transition from high school to college mathematics. Many students choose majors outside of STEM and business fields to pursue degrees with less rigorous mathematics requirements. According to recent findings, it is likely that over 25% of all freshmen will fail their first mathematics course. Few studies examine student success in business mathematics courses, and business is currently the most popular major in the United States. Thus, the purpose of this research was to examine what factors predict success in a foundational business mathematics course (BUS 111) at a large Northeastern university. </p> <p>Eight independent variables were examined: gender, high school GPA, mathematics SAT score, score on the university’s placement exam, student attitudes using the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI), anxiety using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS), number of hours per week spent on mathematics, and number of classes missed. The dependent variable was BUS 111 final average. All students (<em>n</em> = 247) enrolled in BUS 111 were invited to participate during the Fall 2015. Upon completion of pre- and post-surveys, multiple regression was used to determine which variables were significant predictors. Statistical findings revealed that placement score, high school GPA, a combination of ATMI/MAS scores, and number of classes missed were the best predictors of BUS 111 average overall (R<sup>2</sup> = 44.2%, <em>p</em> = 0.000). Different models are presented for comparison and examination. Significant correlations found between perceived instructor effectiveness and student attitudes, anxiety, and course grades are also presented. Overall, combinations of non-affective and affective measures serve as the best predictors of success in business mathematics.</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lacy K. Currie ◽  
Christopher T. Pisarik ◽  
Earl J. Ginter ◽  
Ann Shanks Glauser ◽  
Christopher Hayes ◽  
...  

Traditional predictors of academic performance in college, such as measures of verbal and mathematical abilities [i.e., Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)] and academic achievement (i.e., high school GPA), often account for less than 25% of the variance in college performance, thus leaving a considerable amount of variance unexplained. The primary goal of this study was to examine developmental variables that may account for academic achievement beyond the traditional indices mentioned. Specifically, the relationships among four categories of life-skills and cumulative GPA were examined. A hierarchical multiple-regression analysis revealed that the four life-skills categories predicted an additional 9.4% of the variance in cumulative GPA beyond high school GPA and SAT scores. Of the four categories, physical fitness/health maintenance skills made a statistically significant, unique contribution to predicting cumulative GPA. Because of the exploratory nature of the current study, suggestions are made for conducting future research in light of the study's limitations.


Author(s):  
Christopher S. Travers

Based on a larger research project, this chapter highlights findings from an exploratory study investigating the link between mindset and academic success among Black college men. Drawing on a self-reported survey instrument designed by the researcher, a regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between academic mindset (i.e., growth, fixed) and college grade point average (GPA), controlling for high school GPA and parents' education level. While the final model from a hierarchical linear regression (N = 34) indicates that high school GPA, parents' education level, and mindset accounted for 31% of the variance in Black males' college GPA, mindset did not significantly predict college GPA above and beyond Black males' precollege academic ability and parents' education level. Practical considerations for research and practice are discussed.


NASPA Journal ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Lubker ◽  
Edward F Etzel

The freshman year of college is usually acknowledged as a stressful time of social and academic adjustment. During this period, first-year students face many social and intellectual challenges. For high school athletes, the combined impact of college transition plus disengagement from sport can further complicate first-semester adjustment and may also affect first-year retention. Together, this complex phenomenon may diminish self-concept, challenge one’s felt sense of being an athlete, and elicit emotional responses usually associated with college and elite athlete disengagement resulting in a negative adjustment to the college environment. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the differences in the reported athletic identity and college adjustment patterns of first-year college males and females (N = 317) and how disengagement from sports may affect these variables. Three status groups were used in this study: disengaged athletes (DAs; n = 133), high school senior nonathletes (n = 106), and current first-year college varsity athletes (n = 78). Significant differences were observed between groups in reported level of athletic identity where disengaged high senior athletes had significantly different scores than both college athletes and high school nonathletes. This finding may warrant an investigation on how we conceptualize the terms “athlete” and “nonathlete.” The investigation into college adjustment patterns found that first-year females reported higher academic adjustment to college than males in the total sample. Specifically in the DA athlete group, significant differences in college adjustment for both gender and level of athletic identity were found. For this group, significant differences in college adjustment were found related to the nature of disengagement and perceived level of social support. Potential applications of these findings for college personnel and future directions related to research are explored.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22
Author(s):  
Sarita Tuladhar ◽  
Jamuna Gurung

Introduction: Conjunctivitis is a common health problem in Nepal. It is inflammation of conjunctiva presenting as red eye. It is a communicable eye disease. Health education to the students and proper management can help spread of the disease. Knowledge of conjunctivitis among school students will help in prevention of the disease. So the study was carried out to assess the knowledge of conjunctivitis among high school students in Pokhara valley of Western Nepal. Materials/ Methods: A school based cross sectional study was performed among six government schools in western Nepal from May 2019 to June 2019. Students from grade eight, nine and ten were included in the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaire including demographic data, knowledge regarding sign symptoms of conjunctivitis, treatment, prevention, complication of conjunctivitis. Data was analysed using SPSS version 11.6. Result: A total of 523 students were included in the study. The mean age of the students was 14.7 ± 1.2 years with majority of females (53%). Nearly 2/3rd of the students (61.6%) had heard of conjunctivitis. Majority of the students (87.4%) of the students mentioned that it is communicable while 80.3% of the students correctly mentioned its etiology. Majority of the students (97.9%) mentioned that it is curable with treatment as first option (97.5%). Majority of the students (98.3%) correctly responded to the preventive measures but majority of the students (83.2%) wrongly mentioned mode of transmission. Conclusion: Secondary school students in Western Nepal have poor knowledge of conjunctivitis. Appropriate eye health education should be given to school students to prevent rapid spread of infective conjunctivitis.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-110
Author(s):  
Melanie S. Meyer ◽  
Jeff Cranmore

For students who decide to enroll in college after high school graduation, there are numerous factors to consider when searching for potential matches and choosing from the available options. Ten recent high school graduates who participated in self-selected, ability-grouped, advanced academic courses in high school were interviewed at the end of senior year. These students shared valuable lessons they learned about the college decision-making process to offer guidance to students beginning the college search, and the adults, in and out of school, who help them make those choices. Participants offered advice about preparing to apply to college, the application process, and related social and emotional considerations. Nine key themes were identified in which participants encouraged early exploration of career-related interests, a focus on person-environment fit, and managing expectations. Implications for students, parents, and school personnel are also discussed.


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