A Comparison of Selected Factors Relating to College Success Mary Ann Inwood Cisne

University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Master's Theses Student Research Summer 1966 A comparison of selected factors relating to college success Mary Ann Inwood Cisne Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses Recommended Citation Cisne, Mary Ann Inwood, "A comparison of selected factors relating to college success" (1966). Master's Theses. Paper 251. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A COMPARISON OP SELECTED FAcrORS RELATING TO COLLEGE SUCCESS A Thesis Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Richmond In rartial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education by Mary Ann Inwood Cisne August 1966 LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND :VIRGINIA APPROVAL SHEET The undersigned, appointed by the Department of Education, having examined this thesis by Mary Ann Inwood Cisne, B. s. candidate for the degree of Master of Science in Education. hereby certify their approval of its acceptance. a~0~ - ~.ff.€~ Austins. Grigg, ~D. Professor of Education and Professor of Psychology Dean of Summer School FdB:filXOn;Bd.D:~~ Visiting Lecturer in Education / /?/ -- /,' '-;! .'~-., Helen Louise Smith, M. A., c. A. s. Auistant :•rofessor of Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to thank Dr. Ed~ard P. Overton for his guidance in planning and directing this study; Dr. Austin E. Grigg for his encouragement and assistance in the field of statistics; and Dr. Fred B. Dixon, Dr. Calvin H. Phippins and Miss Helen Louise Smith for their constructive and valuable recommendations. She is most appreciative of the generosity of Mr. E. Sherman Grable in assisting with the computation of statistics involved in this investigation. Also, she expresses her appreciation to the Henrico County Division of Schools for permission to conduct this project. Special gratitude is given to Mrs. Roberta Sheppe for her endorsement and kindness in allowing the writer to collect data on the high school graduates. The author thanks Mr. Vernon Barnes, her principal, for his cooperation and support of her efforts. The writer is appreciative of her. husband•s encouragement and patience wnile the requirements for a Master of Science in Education were being fulfilled. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPl'BR PAGE I. INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . 1 The Statement of the Problem • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 Tho Definition of the Problem . • • • 2 Definitions of terms . .. • • • • • • 2 Delimitations of the research . 2 Assumptions inherent in the study • • • • • • • • • 4 An Evaluation of the Study . 4 Need and value of the study • • • • . s The objectives of the study • • • • . s Related Research Studies . 7 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY ••• • • • . 13 Ill. FINDINGS. • • • • • • • • . • • • • • . 16 The Sample Used • . 16 High school grades compared with College Board SAT scores • • • • • • • • • • • . 18 Applications to Colleges • • •• • • • • • • • • • • 18 Comparisons Between Students of Junior and Senior Colleges .,. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 25 High school grades . • • • • • • • • 25 College Board SAT scores • • . • • • • • 25 First year college achievement • • • • • • • • • • 29 v CHAPTER PAGE College Transfers • • • • • • • . 36 Junior or senior college •• . .• 36 High school grades • • • • . 36 College Board SAT scores. .. 36 College Graduates •• . 40 High school grades . 40 College Board SAT scores . 43 IV. INI'ERPRETATIONS • • • • • • • • • • . 49 Suggestions for Further Research . 52 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 54 APPENDIX A. Letter and Questionnaire Sent to Graduates . 57 APPENDIX B. Letter Sent to College Registrars 60 APPENDIX C. Data Sheet for Each Graduate • • • . 62 APPENDIX D. Senior Colleges and Universities . Attended • • • • • • • • • • • . 63 APPENDIX E. Junior Colleges and Universities Attended . 65 VITA . 66 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Summary of Correlation Coefficients Obtained in Studies of the Predictive Validity of Rank in High School Class and SAT Scores • • • • • • • • 9 II. Summary of Multiple Correlation Coefficients Obtained in Studies of the Predictive Validity of High School Rank in Class and SAT Scores • . 10 Ill. Sample Used • . • • . 17 IV. Applicants to Senior and Junior Colleges by Years • • • 20 v. Number of Colleges to Which Graduates Applied • • • . 22 VI. Number of Colleges by Which Graduates ~ere Accepted 23 VII. Number of Colleges by Which Graduates Were Rejected 24 VIII. Courses in Which Graduates Were Deficient • • • • • . 26 IX. Transfers During First Year or Immediately Thereafter • 37 x. College Graduates ••••• . 42 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Correlation of Rlgh School Grades with College Board SAT Scores • • • • . 19 2. Correlation of High School Grades with Enrollment at a Junior or a Senior College . 27 3. Correlation of College Board Scores and Attendance at Junior or Senior College ••••• • • • • • • • 28 4. Attendance at Junior or Senior College Compared with College Grades ••••••••••••• 30 s. College Grades Compared with High School Grades . 32 6. College Board Verbal SAT Scores Compared with First Year College Grades . 33 7. College Board Ma.th SAT Scores Compared with First Year College Grades • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 34 a. College Transfers/Non-Transfers Compared with Attendance at Either Junior or Senior College . 38 9. College Transfers/Non-Transfers Compared with High School Grades • • • • • • • • • . 39 10. Comparison of College Board SAT Scores with Transfer/Non-Transfer . 41 viii FIGURE PAGE 11. High School Grades Compared with Graduation from Senior College. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 44 12. High School Grades Compared with Graduation from Junior College. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 45 13. College Board SAT Scores Compared with Graduation/ Non-Graduation from Senior College. • • • • • • • • 46 14. College Board SAT Scores Compared with Graduation/ Non-Graduation from Junior College. • • • • • • • • 48 CHAPrBR I INTRODUCTION This study dealt with factors selected to be investigated for their relationships with type of college attended, first year college grades, college transfer/non-transfer during the first year of college and college graduation/non-graduation. The subjects of the study were the 1960-1964 (inclusive) graduates of a certain Henrico County high school who attended college. I. THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The problem of the investigation was as follows: Several problems were studied in this investigation. One was to determine the correlation between high school academic achievement and College Board SAT scores related to the college or type of college (i.e. junior or senior college) selected for attendance by the students of a certain Henrico County high school. The idea of junior and t~o- year community colleges to help accommodate the large number of students who would like to attend college is in the educational news. It would be desirable to know whether there was a variation between the popula tion of students who attended junior or two-year colleges as compared with those who attended senior or four-year colleges. Included was an investi gation as to how many schools the student applied and by how many he was accepted or rejected. Another facet of the investigation dealt with 2 how successful, academically, these students were in their first year of college as compared with their academic success in high school and scores on the College Board SAT. In addition, the incidence of college transfer during or immediately after the first year of college and/or the earning of a degree or associate degree was studied. Il. THE DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM The definition of the problem included an explanation of (a) the terms used in the study, (b) the delimitations of the research, and (c) the assumptions inherent in the study. Definitions ,2! terms. The definitions of terms used in the research study were as follows: The term ~raduate in this study was used to designate students who have graduated from the Henrico County high school under investigation. The term college was used to include both four-year and junior colleges and excluded commercial business colleges. The terms associate degree or associate certificate were used to mean that degree or certificate awarded upon completion of a program in a junior college or special program of study in a four-year college. ------Delimitations --of the ----research. The study was concerned with the graduates of the years 1960 through 1964, inclusive, from a certain Henrico County high school who entered either a four-year or a junior college. 3 The types of information studied included the permanent high school record of each of the graduates who entered college. These records contained the date of high school graduation, high school grade point average, colleges to which application was made, and College Entrance Ezamination Board SAT scores, if available. From the records of the guidance counselors in the high school, certain data were obtained pertaining to which college a student applied for admission and whether he was accepted, as well as college reports of first year college grades. Some of this information was available from the graduates or their parents, which was obtained by telephone call or a mailed questionnaire. (Appendix A) From this latter source, information

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