Date of Award

1-1-1968

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the following general problem: Can non-academic high school achievements be predictive of the first-semester male freshmen performance at the University of North Dakota in regard to grade point average (GPA) and selected extracurricular activities (SECA)? Three sub-problems that were looked at in order to answer the above question were:

1. What is the relationship between non-academic high school achievement in six areas (science, art, writing, leadership, music, and dramatics) and actual first-semester GPA?

2. What is the relationship between non-academic high school achievement in the above six areas with selecteu extracurricular participation during the first semester?

3. How do the male profiles, academic and non- academic, compare in the following groups?

a. Resident and non-resident

b. Independent and fraternity member

c. Education major, unaecided major, or all other majors

The need for this study was motivated by the need for institutional research, the need to use available information, the need to provide a better basis for advising students, the need to assess she value of non-academic achievement in prediction of college success, and the need to improve the selection process at the University.

The sample used in this investigation consisted of all male freshmen entering regular college work for the first time in September of 1966 at the University of North Dakota on whom complete American College Test (ACT) data and first semester GPA's were available.

The one common criterion used was the actual male freshmen first-semester grade point average. The GPA is computed on a four-point system (A = d, B = 3, etc.), A criterion of an uncommon nature was the score recorded for extracurricular activities. The numerical score was obtained by allotting the students one point for membership, leadership, or recognition received in selected extracurricular activities. The major areas of concern for extracurricular participation were religious, athletic, musical, and dramatic activities plus fraternal organizations to which a freshman male can secure membership.

The predictors used were from the ACT and included the six non-academic achievements, the level of educational aspiration, the most important goal in attending college, the type of home community, the estimate of family income, the type of high school, and the size of high school.

The two criteria, the first semester GPA and the numerical score for the first semester selected extracurricular activities, were correlated with high school non-academic achievements and other previously listed ACT variables for the student sample. All possible airs of correlation of the above variables were computed.

Predictive equations were then aet 'mined, one using only the non-academic predictors and the p her utilizing the ACT variables ana the non-academic predictors. The purpose was to find which variable or reasonable combination of variables would be most valuable in estimating which students are likely to achieve first-semester success. The final step used the multiple regression analysis technique.

Some of the general conclusions indicated by the stuoy are:

1. GPA and SECA correlate poorly with non-academic high school achievements.

2. Students seeking higher degrees had the ability to pursue them as measured by the ACT and GPA.

3. Students who indicated the "development of the mind" as the most important goal for attending college had the highest capabilities and highest academic successes.

4. The size and type of high school attended had no si ui. ficant effect on the students' mean ACT composite scores and the first-semester GPA.

5. Students who have an undecided major come from high schools with graduation classes of twenty- five or less, naa the lowest GPA, and participated the least in SECA.

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