This study evaluated whether self reports of students' academic development can serve as proxies for achievement test scores from a national assessment of college student learning. The convergent and discriminant validity of self reports and test scores were examined with 1,568 students at four community colleges (n=828) and six four-year colleges…

A study used a latent variable model with various factors to examine the relationship between college student grades and satisfaction. Results suggest satisfaction is a stronger influence on grades than vice versa. It is recommended that popular recursive models be reevaluated because nonrecursive models may more accurately represent effects.…

Because change is fundamental to education and the measurement of change assesses the quality and effectiveness of postsecondary education, this study examined three methods of measuring change: (1) gain scores; (2) residual scores; and (3) repeated measures. Data for the study was obtained from transcripts of 722 graduating seniors at the…

A study compared three methods for measuring college student growth and development in the course of a college education: (1) gain scores; (2) residual scores; and (3) repeated measures. Analyses indicated that all three are seriously flawed, although repeated measures offer the greatest potential for adequately representing student change.…

A survey of 799 freshmen at a residential, public research university found perceived school quality had a significant effect on intent to persist for minorities but not for non-minorities, and academic achievement had a significant effect for non-minorities but not for minorities. However, similarities between the groups were more common than…