The investigators reviewed the retention literature and developed a 53-item questionnaire and tested its validity. Component analysis of the responses of 2,022 students at four schools yielded six reliable factors: Institutional Commitment, Degree Commitment, Academic Integration, Social Integration, Support Services Satisfaction, and Academic…

Teaching certification graduates in the years 1982 and 1983 performed as well as or better than non-teaching certification graduates of the same years when measured by either the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) or the upper division major grade point average (UGPA). However, teaching certification graduates were one or two points weaker than…

A study examined the general achievement and aptitude of prospective teachers at the University of Minnesota's College of Education. Test scores were examined over time, against majors in other professional schools in the same institution, as well as across different education majors. The specific variables investigated included subtests of the…

The predictive value of secondary school honors-type courses for the college admissions process was studied, with attention to the proposition that an honors-type course grade should be promoted one full level (e.g., from a "B" to an "A"). The sample consisted of 950 freshmen at Pennsylvania State University in 1979. The…

A study of college entry for race and sex groups by the Blau and Duncan status attainment model is evaluated. Variables were: (1) family status, (2) standardized test performance, (3) senior rank, (4) high school curriculum, (5) significant others, (6) perceived college ability, (7) educational expectations, and (8) college attendance. (Author/MLW)

This study investigated whether or not the validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is both higher and less variable across colleges than it appears to be. Data from 99 validity studies conducted by the Validity Study Service of the College Board were used. In addition to test validities based on first-year college averages, which were…

A study investigated the usefulness of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory in predicting college students' academic performance, focusing on whether the scores enhance the accuracy of traditional predictors such as college entrance examinations and high school rank. Results indicate the scores produce a slight but not significant increase…

This study investigated the efficacy of noncognitive variables and academic background for the prediction of college grade performance and persistence. A total of 7,377 new first-year college students participated in the study, completing demographic questionnaires at the start of the school year. Data were also collected on American College Test…