Predicting College Graduation: Are Admissions Test Scores and High School Performance Measures Adequate

"Admission to most institutions of higher education is based primarily on test scores and high school performance. These measures should properly be used to predict first-year grades; however, their de facto use is in choosing who will most likely graduate. I found the best predictors of college graduation are the number of terms enrolled and the mean hours earned per term, not the grades earned, though cumulative grades are the third best predictor. The results varied somewhat by race/ethnic group. Also important to success are changing majors and the percentage of terms at a ""C"" grade or better. Not significant are sex, admissions test score, and beginning in a math or science curriculum. Two factors show a negative relationship to graduation: the first-term hours and high school rank. If grades are not the best predictors of success in college, then the admissions process should not rely solely on test score and high school rank."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Murphy, Marilyn M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Coombs, Fred,
• Loeb, Jane

• Education, Administration

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9944945

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80338