The purpose of this study was to determine if freshman students based on their age, ethnicity, and gender who enter a community college with a GED credential will have a higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) after their first semester than traditional high school graduates. Findings from this study will aid individuals in developing a more accurate perception of the academic abilities of GED graduates. The academic performance of GED graduates was compared with traditional high school graduates after their first semester at a rural community college in the Fall 2007 semester. Intact data from the students f academic records were used for this study (n=680). Graduates were compared on gender, race, and age. Data were analyzed with the t-test and a multiple linear regression. There was not a statistically significant difference in the mean GPA between GED graduates and traditional high school graduates. It was also found that there was a statistically significant difference between the ethnic groups, as whites had higher mean GPAs than the nonwhite students. There was not a statistically significant difference between the mean GPAs among the male and female students. The age of the college students had no influence on GPAs.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-3374 |
| Date | 11 December 2009 |
| Creators | Akins, Ericka |
| Publisher | Scholars Junction |
| Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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