Persistence is an important issue in higher education (Tinto, 1987a). Although social and economic benefits of a college education are well documented (Baum & Ma, 2007; Institute for Higher Education Policy, 2004), during the last 100 years the college graduation rate has remained at approximately 50% (Education Policy Institute, 2004). While prior academic achievement has proven to be a successful predictor of success in college (Camara & Echtnernacht, 2000; Sadler, Cohen, & Kockesen, 1997; Tinto, 1993), it does not account for all the variability in student retention. Research has shown that other factors, including social adaptation, physical fitness, and emotional stability can contribute to whether an individual continues to persist past the first year of college (Astin, 1993; McClanahan, 2004; Tinto, 1987b). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-reported wellness and academic success in first-year health science college students. In addition the study sought to determine if the relationship between wellness and academic success differs by gender, academic program, or ethnicity. Also examined was whether the factors of wellness could be used to predict academic success. Wellness was defined using the Myers and Sweeney (2005) conceptual framework, as measured in a series of constructs, including the coping self, creative self, essential self, physical self, social self and an overall wellness score. Academic success was defined as first semester grade point average. The study also controlled for high school grade point average (HSGPA) and scholastic aptitude test score (SAT) as factors of prior academic achievement that may affect academic success in college. The findings suggest that the impact of wellness differs by ethnicity and academic program. In addition, certain factors of wellness can be used to help predict academic success in the first semester of college. Finally, overall wellness had little if any bearing on academic success in first-time, first-year students. / Ph. D.

This research project intended to explore the possible relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in college students. Using an anonymous online survey, data was collected over two semesters. Ten thousand currently-enrolled college students ages eighteen and older from all states and recognized territories of the United States participated. The survey gathered data concerning a student’s age, gender, race, body weight, height, geographic region of college attendance, cumulative GPA, and physical activity level. The FIT Index of Kasari was used to classify each student’s physical activity level. A quintile split by FIT score was conducted to determine if physically active students were more successful academically than their inactive peers. Univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent sample t-Test, and descriptive analysis were conducted on data pertaining to secondary research questions regarding FIT scores of students in each geographical region of college attendance, gender and race. The research found no statistically significant correlation existed between academic achievement and physical activity in college students. It found that students with very low and very high physical activity levels had lower academic achievement scores than students reporting moderate physical activity. There were significant differences in FIT scores of students in the northwest, but not among students in the southwest, northeast, or southeast. Significant differences in FIT scores were found to exist between males and females and between white and non-white college students. The research found a number of significant differences between groups within the quintile split of FIT score data regarding the primary research question.

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between time spent by students engaged in student co-curricular involvement, online social networking, and studying on their academic achievement. Additional factors such as student residence, gender, ethnicity, class standing and work for pay were also considered. Existing literature supports the concept that the more time students spend in educationally purposeful activities, the more likely students are going to be successful. Little research exists regarding the use of current versions of online social networking, and the relationship it might have to student academic achievement as measured by grade point average. Therefore, this study was intended to further our understanding of these factors. Data for this quantitative study came from an online administration of a survey. The survey was disseminated to students who were enrolled at a large, public research institution in the southeastern United States and who were additionally registered in the institution's database of student organization officers during the fall 2010 semester. The number of respondents was 613, which was a 28% response rate. A multiple regression analysis was used along with other statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were analyzed for all variables. All data was self-reported by students. This study yielded several statistically significant findings however the effect sizes for most of the regression models was low. The findings showed statistically significant, negative correlations between the number of hours spent by students engaged in co-curricular involvement and online social networking as it relates to grade point average. Additionally, studying and doing coursework was positively correlated with grade point average. Lastly, work for pay off-campus was negatively correlated with grade point average. Additional data analysis was conducted excluding graduate students who had originally completed the survey. This data analysis included 474 respondents. The regression models which excluded graduate students did not yield large effect sizes. Co-curricular student involvement and online social networking did have statistically significant, negative correlations with grade point average but less so than in the original analysis. These findings were despite the reported increase in the number of hours spent per week engaged in co-curricular involvement and online social networking. Work for pay off campus was more significantly negative. The findings of this study both supported and conflicted with existing literature on these topics. The finding of statistical significance for most variables can most likely be attributed to the large sample size in the study. These findings offer additional opportunities for research by other student affairs practitioners who are interested in student success factors like those included in this study.

The intent of this study was to follow up the students of Mound Fort Junior High School's ninth grade class of 1962-63 in order to secure information and facts about members of that class and to answer the following questions: (1) What has happened to the students educationally? (2) What has happened to the students vocationally? (3) How many students have served or are presently serving the armed forces? (4) What is the marital status of each student? (5) How did the high school graduate compare with the dropout in test scores, grade point average, attendance, awareness of counseling services, and use of counseling services? (6) How did the students react to the school's program? There were 214 students (108 boys and 106 girls) who constituted the sample of this follow-up study. Sources used for obtaining desired information concerning the sample included a questionnaire and school records. Questionnaires were mailed to 214 students and it was assumed that 185 students received one. Of this number, 135 students (72.9%) completed and returned their questionnaires. The results of this study showed that graduates scored higher in all areas than the dropouts--intelligence, achievement, grade point, and school attendance. The test scores for the average dropout indicated that they had the intelligence and the ability to achieve in school work. There was a greater awareness of counseling services among the graduates than was true of the dropouts. Suggestions and comments made by the students indicated they would like their teachers to take a personal interest in them, talk to them on their level, and treat them as an adult. Students want to be encouraged to stay in school and to have the importance of education stressed.

Because event-related potentials (ERPs) can reflect individual differences in intellectual ability, individual differences in college grade-point average (GPA) may be associated with specific individual ERP waves, such as the P300. However, P300 amplitude is higher in women than in men and varies across the menstrual cycle, factors that could confound the association between GPA and ERPs. In this regard, our objective was to determine whether differences in GPA are reflected in ERPs while standardling for sex and menstrual phase. After participants provided informed consent, we obtained GPAs from 22 right-handed college students (11 male, age range 22 to 26 and 10 female, age range 17 to 24) at a university with high admission and retention standards. We assessed menstrual phase by measuring luteinizing hormone levels across the cycle. We then obtained ERPs for each male participant and ERPs during each phase of the menstrual cycle for each female participant in an object-recognition visual pop-out protocol using Net Station Software (Electrical Geodesics, Inc., Eugene, Oregon) and E-prime Software (Psychology Software Tools, Inc., Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania). Males had larger P300s than females. The male and female high GPA was significantly different from the low GPA male and female groups. High GPA in females and males were associated with a positive peak at approximately 689 ms that was not present in the low-GPA male group and was significantly diminished in low-GPA females. Electro-cortical processing of cognitive stimuli differs between college students with high and low GPAs.

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The purpose of this study was to compare the relationship between the American College Test (ACT) sub-test scores, nursing courses' grade point average, college cumulative grade point average and the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE) sub-test scores. Data from 227 nurses were analyzed utilizing three procedures: Pearson product-moment coefficient; multiple correlation coefficient; and linear regression equations. Conclusions were that several ACT sub-test scores could yield useful information on admission; the college cumulative grade point average was the most reliable indicator of success on the SBTPE; and an ACT composite score of eleven was the minimum value required to pass the SBTPE sub-tests with a score of at least 350.

x, 84 p. : ill. / This study examines the relation between Hispanic students' extracurricular participation and GPA. Research suggests that participation in extracurricular activities is positively related to academic achievement in high school. This study addresses the Social Capital connection to school as a contributing factor in academic achievement. This study's findings provide evidence to support the hypothesis that extracurricular activities have a positive relation to freshman year GPA scores, specifically for Hispanic students. The study's findings also suggest there is a difference in terms of GPA for Hispanic students across trimesters. This study adds to the growing body of literature on the positive relation between extracurricular activities and cumulative GPA for Hispanic students. / Committee in charge: Dr. David Conley, Chair Dr. Paul Yovanoff, Member Dr. Keith Zvoch, Member Dr. Geraldine Moreno, Outside Member