Early college high schools are programs created by collaborations between secondary public education and institutions of higher education to address the challenge of increasing the number of traditionally underserved students (i.e. minorities, low socioeconomic status, and first generation to college) in institutions of higher education. Students in early college high schools are able to graduate from the school with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, or 60 hours of transferrable college credit (Jobs for the Future, 2007). The institutional strategies utilized in these collaborative initiatives that pursue, as a main goal, promotion of high school and higher education, student retention and success should be investigated so that other educational settings may adopt these practices to further enhance educational opportunities for all students. A more in-depth understanding of how early college high schools contribute to the success of students who are traditionally underserved in the United States education system is needed. It is imperative to identify specific, evidence based, effective institutional strategies that early college high schools utilize that contribute to student success and retention in order to determine common trends and practices that are utilized by these institutions based on evidence from the available data. This study utilized a mixed methods design, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, to determine which effective retention and success strategies are common to selected Texas early college high schools. Quantitative analysis was used to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the selected early college high schools and other traditional high schools within their districts regarding academic achievement on state assessments, retention, and college course completion rates. The qualitative analysis aspect of the study was implemented through the use of anonymous surveys administered to students, student focus groups, and reviews of institutional documents of selected early college high schools. This qualitative data was analyzed to determine the common strategies and practices that are utilized to promote retention, academic achievement on state assessments, and college course completion rates on the selected campuses. / text

This dissertation examined the perceptions of high-achieving undergraduate Hispanic students majoring in engineering with regard to their academic success. As the largest and fastest growing minority group in the US, Hispanics are underrepresented among the racial and ethnic compositions of students enrolled in undergraduate engineering programs. Factoring in the overall decline in the number of graduates in engineering, as well, enhances the challenges this will bring to need for a racially and ethnically representative US workforce. While engineering is an academically demanding discipline, some students not only succeed, but excel. To understand the factors that contributed to their academic success, seven high-achieving undergraduate engineering students were interviewed to examine their undergraduate experiences at Texas A&M University. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured participant interviews as the means of data collection to gather information. Through the process of content analysis, four key themes emerged: (1) Versatility: That's a different way of seeing things that I never thought of before, (2) Individuality: I've gotten more a sense of who I am, (3) Essence: That's just how we are, and (4) Successful Study Strategies: I realized if I wanted to continue not having to relearn and relearn, I should just learn. Findings from this study suggest that Texas A&M should emphasize engagement opportunities through the use of freshman Learning and/or Living-Learning Communities to improve the acclimation of new students into the University as well as assist them in forming the type of peer relationships that can increase the likelihood of academic success. In addition, the University should make a variety of academic assistance measures available to these students early in their academic careers to activate successful study strategies and accomplishments.

Colleges base their admission decisions on a number of factors to determine which applicants have the potential to succeed. This study utilized data for students that graduated from Florida International University between 2006 and 2012. Two models were developed (one using SAT as the principal explanatory variable and the other using ACT as the principal explanatory variable) to predict college success, measured using the student’s college grade point average at graduation. Some of the other factors that were used to make these predictions were high school performance, socioeconomic status, major, gender, and ethnicity. The model using ACT had a higher R^2 but the model using SAT had a lower mean square error. African Americans had a significantly lower college grade point average than graduates of other ethnicities. Females had a significantly higher college grade point average than males.

In response to the increasing cost of college, colleges and universities are leveraging financial aid and academic support services to implement access and success programs intended to help financially disadvantaged students afford and persist through a baccalaureate degree program. This research is a study of the efficacy of one such program at a large research university in the southwestern region of the United States. The study sample included low-income program participants in four cohorts of freshmen enrolling for the first time in college from fall 2007 (Cohort 1) to fall 2010 (Cohort 4) and a comparison group of almost 400 low-income freshmen who enrolled for the first time in college in fall 2006 (the year prior to program implementation) for a sample total of over 2150 students. Approximately 64% were female, 36 % were males, over 60% were African American and Hispanic, and over 75% were first generation college students. Logistic regression was used to measure probability and odds of their academic success and retention in the first year of college utilizing gender, ethnicity, parental degree attainment, and program participation as the independent variables. The logistic regression models illustrated that participation in the program netted a consistently positive and significant impact on academic success across all cohorts, increasing the odds ratio for academic success no less than three times in favor of program participants vis-à-vis the comparison group. The statistical models illustrated that the program netted a slight positive impact on the odds of retention, particularly for African American students. Therefore, the principle implication that might be drawn from this study is that by strategically leveraging financial aid and academic support services, access and success programs can facilitate higher rates of academic success and retention for financially disadvantaged college students.

This study was a search for a valid and reliable tool for the measurement and appraisal of the Navajo student at Intermountain School whose cultural and bilingual background make many highly verbal tests untrustworthy. The two tests chosen for the study were the Chicago Non-verbal Examination and the Cattell Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Culture Free Test. It was assumed that these tests would call attention to students who had good intellectual ability but were below standard in reading and verbal development and had been overlooked because of their lack of verbal fluency. The two tests were administered to a random sample of one hundred twenty four students (72 boys 52 girls) at Intermountain High School. The tests were administered and corrected by the author, care being taken to follow directions in the manual on administering, correcting, and figuring IQ scores. Statistical treatment was given the obtained data and the findings compared with the standardization sample for each test. Further statistical treatment was given to compare the performance of the boys with the performance of the girls on each test. Grade point averages were obtained for each individual in the sample. A coefficient of correlation between grade point average and IQ scores was figures for both the Chicago Non-verbal and Cattell Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Culture Free Test. A coefficient of correlation between grade point averages and the "G" score from the General Aptitude Test Battery was computed on ninety eight students on which the scores were available. The results of this study showed that: (1) The Chicago Non-verbal Examination seemed to be more interesting and motivating for Navajo students. (2) The Navajo students in this study scored higher than the standardization sample on the Chicago Non-verbal Examination. This is interesting because on most tests the Navajos score below the mean of the standardization sample.

This study sought to understand the perceptions of African American male students who are enrolled in developmental education programs. The researcher gathered information by interviewing students at 2 Mississippi community colleges and by reviewing information collected from the student’s demographic profile. This qualitative research allowed the researcher to learn directly from students, factors that contribute to African American male students developing a negative perception of developmental education programs. Participants were 20 African American male students enrolled in developmental education program in 2 Mississippi community colleges. Data collection occurred during the spring and fall 2016 semester. Each participant was asked 12 questions to determine his perspectives of developmental education programs and factors contributing to the student’s academic success. Moreover, the study provided solutions that can help dispel the negative perceptions of African American male students and suggested strategies for academic achievement. The factors included the following: support of community college leaders, supportive instructors, and peer support group. Data suggested that to support the academic success of African American male students, an understanding of their culture can benefit their advancement in the community college. The participants believe that if instructors would not give into the negative stereotypes and increase their willingness to go the extra mile to insure that African American male students become successful, the negative perception of developmental education program will change. Participants conveyed the need to feel cared for, understood, and supported by instructors and community college leaders. The findings from this study can assist community college leaders and instructors to develop educational interventions that will support African American male students. This research study is an attempt to provide information that will improve academic success of African American males enrolled in developmental educational programs in the community colleges.

Student affairs practitioners attempt to combine in-class and out-of-class learning. One example of this is first year residential programs. In these programs freshmen live together in one residence hall. Each program is different, but common characteristics include increased student staff, freshmen seminar, and increase programming on adjustment issues. This study examines one first year program (FYP) and attempts to determine the effects of the program on the academic success of the participants. Gender differences and ethnic differences were also examined. Academic success was defined as those elements of students' collegiate experiences that relate to retention and graduation. The instrument used in this study was based on a specific definition of academic success. Five hundred and thirty five students were asked to participate in the study, and a total of 249 usable instruments were returned, for a response rate of 48.44%. Of the 249 participants, 264 (49.35%) were in the FYP and 271 (50.65%) were not in the FYP. The non-FYP students lived in a variety of buildings on campus. There were significant findings in several areas of academic success. FYP participants had higher grades overall and completed more class credits. FYP students were more likely to understand academic policies and requirements. FYP students were more likely to complete all assignments before class and they were more likely to begin taking steps towards their career goals. Students in the FYP also reported higher levels of contact with faculty and higher attendance at university events. The FYP appeared to offer opportunities that enabled students to reach higher levels of academic success. / Master of Arts

The purpose of this study was to determine the value of the Non Cognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in predicting the academic achievement of first year female engineering students. Ancis and Sedlacek (1997) studied non-cognitive variables with a general population of undergraduate women. Their study validated the NCQ as a predictor of academic success for women students. The present study extends the work of Ancis and Sedlacek to examine female engineering students, a group for which no similar study has yet been published.Participants included 100 female first-year engineering students at a large, public Doctoral Research â Extensive institution located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. By race or ethnicity, the participants were White, Non-Hispanic (81%), Black Non-Hispanic (9%), Asian or Pacific Islander (4%), Hispanic or Latino (1%), Non-Resident Alien (1%), and Unknown Race or Ethnicity (6%). This study defined academic achievement as first semester Grade Point Average, which was used as the dependent variable. Participants completed the NCQ during summer orientation. NCQ scale scores and SAT Verbal and Math scores were used as independent variables in a step-wise regression analysis.The major finding of this study was that the NCQ scale scores did not add to the predictive value of the SAT scores in determining the first semester GPA of female engineering students. This was an unexpected finding in light of previous research that had documented the value of using non-cognitive variables, and specifically the NCQ, to predict the academic success of groups that are a minority in their educational settings.Because the major finding of this study is at odds with a large body of similar studies, the most important implications of this study relate to understanding this difference. Included in the discussion are questions about the methodology used in previous NCQ studies and about the influence of the single institution that has been the site of almost all previous NCQ research. / Master of Arts

An important problem in the field of education is determining the criteria by which academic success of students can be predicted. This study sets up criteria for predicting the success of a comparatively small group of students, those who have attended one or more other colleges and have made less than a "C" average in all subjects attempted at those other colleges before enrolling at North Texas State College.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to determine the study skills of college freshmen.