This paper reports on a longitudinal study with results drawn from 7 years of data on a group of young women (N=42), following them from the ninth grade through the third year of college. The purpose of the study was to trace development of the participants' thinking about school, career, and women's roles while also tracking their grades,…

This report reviews a study to identify individual factors that affect adult learners' success and persistence in college programs. Part 1, a historical analysis, uses past records of students to analyze patterns of persistence and success. It examines how demographic variables relate to continuing enrollment, grade point average (GPA), and degree…

Based on a sample of eleventh grade students from different ethnic backgrounds, (1) a reading test was a more valid predictor of academic success than academic self-concept; (2) aspiration and academic interest were valid predictors of school achievements; and (3) a combination of cognitive and affective measures was the most valid predictor.…

A University of Toronto effort to develop an accurate measure of affective characteristics in pharmacy school applicants to replace the interview resulted in development of a self-assessment instrument. It was found that a combination of overall grade point average, pharmacy college entrance examination verbal and reading scores, problem-solving…

This quantitative case study explores how race, family background, attitudes, and behaviors are related to achievement disparities among middle school and high school students in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The purpose is to inform the search for ways of raising achievement and reducing disparities. The focal measure of achievement in this study is the…

This study examines the academic performance of second language (L2) applicants who are admitted to a university on the basis of the number of years completed in English-medium secondary school. Such language-residency requirements are underexamined in the research literature. Results from the first 2 years of a 4-year longitudinal study indicate…

A study was conducted at Merrimack College in Massachusetts to compare the grades of students who took the recommended course as determined by their mathematics placement exam score and those who did not follow this recommendation. The goal was to decide whether the mathematics placement exam used at Merrimack College was effective in placing…

Minority students made up approximately 25% of the student population at Central High School in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1995. The composition of Central's honors and challenge classes did not reflect this diversity, however, few minority students were taking challenge classes as underclassmen and even fewer were taking AP courses as seniors. In fall…

Researchers describe results from a longitudinal study of variables predicting retention in undergraduate teacher education. Selected teacher candidates' background characteristics were correlated with undergraduate grade point ratio (GPR) as a measure of academic success. The sample consisted of 657 candidates in an initial course in teacher…

In spring 1988, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC), in Palos Hills, Illinois, implemented "College Success," a course to increase student academic performance and improve college retention. Students in the course learned a variety of techniques to help them succeed in college, including note-taking skills, time management, memory…

The Running Start program was created by the Washington State Legislature in 1990 to allow qualified 11th and 12th grade high school students to take college-level courses at community and technical colleges. In the 1994-95 academic year, 7,418 high school students were enrolled in college classes through the program, representing about 3% of the…

The Running Start program was created by the Washington State Legislature in 1990 to allow qualified 11th and 12th grade high school students to take college-level courses at community and technical colleges. In fall 1994, 5,334 high school students were enrolled in college classes through the program, representing about 4% of the total high…

This paper compares freshmen who enrolled in the College Seminar at Ramapo College (a 4-year liberal arts college in New Jersey) with freshmen who have not taken the seminar. The seminar course includes units on higher education in America; study skills (e.g., writing papers, research skills, taking notes, time management, computer skills);…

This study examined whether the educational practice of retaining students in junior first grade for a year between kindergarten and first grade enhanced their academic achievement and self-concept of academic ability. Subjects were 120 students randomly selected from a midwestern school district and divided equally into 4 groups: (1) recommended…

A study was conducted at San Diego City College (SDCC) in California to evaluate the college's Critical Thinking and Writing Center, one of the components of SDCC's comprehensive plan to improve student outcomes. Five indicators of student success were examined for two semesters using a student tracking system: retention, semester-to-semester…