A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, PURDUE UNIVERSITY

ROBERT DAVID DILLINGHAM, Purdue University

Abstract

This study sought to determine the relationship between pre-college and in-college independent variables and (1) the graduation of students in the two majors offered at the School of Management, Purdue University, (2) whether or not students graduated within four and one-half years, and (3) the graduation grade point average. Discriminant and predictor variables were defined as: (1) Scholastic Aptitude Tests (Verbal and Mathematics, (2) high school rank in class, (3) number of semesters of high school mathematics, science and foreign language, (4) grades in key prerequisite management courses. The subject samples included 378 beginning students under the age of twenty who entered the School of Management, Purdue University, in August 1974, and 404 in August 1975. The Industrial Management majors numbered 50 (41 male and 9 female) and 60 (41 male and 19 female) for 1974 and 1975, respectively. The number of General Management majors were 117 (88 males and 29 females) and 130 (85 males and 45 females). Succeeders in the 1974 sample were 168 (130 males and 38 females) and non-succeeders 44 (30 males and 14 females). In the 1974 sample Industrial Management students were found to be significantly discriminated from General Management students using pre-college variables. The 1974 discriminant function was significant when crossvalidated (in lieu of hold-out procedure) on the 1975 sample. Discriminant functions were not significant in determining the difference between succeeders and non-succeeders. School of Management succeeders and non-succeeders were not classified by either pre-college variables or in-college variables. Prediction equations were developed with pre-college and in-college variables as predictors and the graduation grade point average as the criterion. Mathematics courses determined the two sets of predictors and both equations were found significant in predicting the criterion. A double crossvalidation of the prediction equations produced positive results. Results of the investigation suggest the usefulness of pre-college variables in counseling students about a major in the School of Management and illustrate the difficulty of identifying students as succeeders or non-succeeders. The prediction of grade point average, as was hypothesized, was significant. Crossvalidation of regression equations proved productive for inferences to future samples of the population. Additional regression analyses provided evidence that future samples may be considered statistically similar to samples used in this study.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Academic guidance counseling

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