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Factors associated with academic success in the sciences
Author(s) -
McGonagle Alyssa,
Winston Jeffrey,
BarnesFarrell Janet,
Freake Hedley C
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.632.16
Subject(s) - psychology , medical education , mathematics education , multilevel model , control (management) , medicine , computer science , artificial intelligence , machine learning
This study investigated social and psychological factors relevant to students' academic performance in the sciences, as part of an evaluation of STRONG‐CT, a program striving to increase representation of minority and first‐generation students in the sciences. College students from a large university in the northeastern U.S. volunteered to complete an online survey of social and psychological factors that were theorized to relate to academic performance in the sciences; in addition, science course grades and SAT scores were obtained from a university database for each participant. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data; Math SAT scores were entered in the first step to control for their impact on grades and all study variables were entered in the second step. Levels of self‐efficacy for tasks vital to learning were positively related to science GPA; levels of college‐related stress were negatively related to science GPA. Additionally, students who reported going to professors for extra help were found to have higher science GPAs than those who did not. STRONG‐CT students demonstrated higher levels of self‐efficacy, were more likely to meet with professors, and reported studying for more hours per week than other students. STRONG‐CT students also had higher science GPAs than a control group. Supported by NSF‐0525379.