Celebration of Scholars
Academic Self-Concept Predicts Grade Point Average and Course Grade in Carthage College Freshman
Name:
David Rademacher
Department: Social Science
Type of research: Independent research
Funding: Carthage College Provost, Faculty Research and Development Grant
Name:
Micala Giammarino
Major: Psychological Science
Hometown: Villa Park, IL
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research
Funding: Carthage College Provost, Faculty Research and Development Grant
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to provide a better understanding of the factors predictive of academic achievement (i.e., grade point average (GPA) and course grade (expressed as a percentage)) in college freshman. The participants were 37 Carthage College freshman (8 males, 29 females; mean age = 18.3 years). The participants completed a series of online questionnaires to assess the following: academic classification, gender, ethnicity, age, GPA, academic self-concept (ASC), non-academic self-concept, general esteem, and perceived class rank. The course instructors provided information regarding the participants’ course grades. Together, ASC, perceived class rank, and gender explained 59.6% of the variance in the GPAs. The inclusion of non-academic self-concept, general esteem, ethnicity, and age did not significantly increase the proportion of variance in GPAs explained. Together, ASC and ethnicity explained 56.1% of the variance in the course grades. The inclusion of non-academic self-concept, general esteem, perceived class rank, gender, and age did not significantly increase the proportion of variance in course grades explained. Whereas ASC, perceived class rank, and gender are good predictors of freshman GPAs, ASC and ethnicity are good predictors of freshman course grades.Submit date: March 6, 2017, 12:37 p.m.