The growing concern of doctoral student persistence has increased exponentially in higher education over the past decade. The body of research presented in this dissertation examines the complex phenomenon of persistence and possible pathways to addressing the dilemma of deteriorating academic persistence for doctoral students. It explores and…

An analysis of 1955 physics graduate students from 19 Ph.D. programs shows that undergraduate grade point average predicts graduate grades and Ph.D. completion more effectively than GRE scores. Students' undergraduate GPA (UGPA) and GRE Physics (GRE-P) scores are small but statistically significant predictors of graduate course grades, while GRE…

Context: A common goal of professional education programs is to recruit the students best suited for the professional career. Selection of students can be a difficult process, especially if the number of qualified candidates exceeds the number of available positions. The ability to predict academic success in any profession has been a challenging…

The purpose of this study was to examine how the mode of instructional delivery, campus face-to-face or online, affected dropout relative to students' academic and demographic characteristics. A quantitative study was conducted to analyze the academic and demographic characteristics of newly admitted, matriculated degree-seeking students (N = 640)…

To understand the functions of graduate level admissions tests, the characteristics of students who scored high compared with those who scored low on three tests were examined on the basis of correlates of each of the tests with a large number of other variables reflecting the students' background and educational characteristics. (Author/RC)

Data on test familiarity effects on Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) analytical ability scores (EJ 304 980) were reanalyzed. Little difference was found among subgroups: age, ethnic groups, degree aspiration, English language dominance, and GRE scores. Test preparation included practice, knowledge of results, and strategies for each item type.…

Examines relationship between admission criteria and academic performance among 654 master's in social-work (MSW) students in one state university, 1985-1992. Test scores on a pre-graduation comprehensive exam measured academic achievement. Results indicate two admissions criteria, undergraduate grade point average and Graduate Record Examination…

Data from graduate student applications at a large Western university were used to determine which factors were the best predictors of success in graduate school, as defined by cumulative graduate grade point average. Two statistical models were employed and compared: artificial neural networking and simultaneous multiple regression. Both models…

First-year graduate students were asked to respond to a biographical questionnaire which emphasized motivational variables in addition to the usual demographic variables. It was hypothesized that the students could select from a group of ability measures the one best indicator of how well they would do in graduate school. To test this hypothesis…

The degree objectives of prospective graduate students from the various ethnic groups were investigated in this study by using the extensive (200,000 plus) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) registrant population of 1976-1977. GRE scores, undergraduate grade point average, and being a male were the important predictors of students' expectations of…

GRE verbal and quantitative scores and undergraduate grade point average were evaluated as predictors of multiple measures of long-term graduate school success. The measures of success were cumulative graduate grade point average and faculty ratings on three student characteristics: mastery of the discipline, professional productivity, and…