The objective of the present study was to assess the predictive power of SAT, Sex and Department in AAU College of Science and Social Science. To analyse and interpret the collected data, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was employed to see the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the predictor variables and the criterion measure. To see the percentage of variance in students first year CGPA that can be explained by predictor variables multiple regression was used. Lastly, to identify relative contribution of predictor variables (or to identify the best predictor variable step-wise regression was employed. Predictor variables are statistically significant predictors of college academic performance for all participants 17.6% (R 2 =0.176, F (3, 296)=21.068, P<0.05). Regarding the gender, there is a significant difference between male and female students college academic performance. A large amount of variance accounted for was found for female students 22% (R 2 =0.220, F (2, 95)=13.362, P<0.05) than for males 13.2% (R 2 =0.132, F (2,199) =15.095, P<0.05). When the disciplines are considered, College of Science was found to be a more significantly predicted field of studies 17.5% (R 2 =0.175, F(3, 151)=10.697, P<0.05) than Social Science 8.4%(R 2 =0.084, F(3, 141)=4.317, P<0.05). Regarding the relative contribution of each predictor variables, the study result showed that department was the best predictor followed by SAT. Sex was a non-significant predictor of college CGPA. Hence, further investigation is required to conduct a study on the predictive power of sex.

This study sought to determine the associations among psychosocial factors, approaches to learning and the academic achievement. The study employed the descriptive correlational research design. The target population was 5340 students from five Polytechnic Colleges in West Hararge Zone. The study used Yamane’s (1967) formula to come up with the sample sizes of 372 students who filled the questionnaire. Pearson Correlation Coefficient, multiple regression analysis and stepwise multiple regression were employed to analyze the data. The study established that approaches to learning and psychosocial factors are important ingredients for intended academic achievement to be realized. It is recommended that education stakeholders in learning institutions under investigation should pay due attentions to psychosocial factors as an imperative ingredient for intended academic achievements to be realized.

The main purpose of this study was examining the relationship between approaches to learning and academic achievement, the extent to which approaches to learning predict trainees’ academic achievement, and determining gender differences between male and female trainees in approaches to learning and academic achievement in Polytechnic Colleges. Mixed research approach particularly explanatory sequential design was used. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling were used to select study settings and participants. Data were collected from five Polytechnic Colleges through questionnaire. Population of this study is 372 (183 male and 189 female) trainees. With response rate of 85%, the main analysis was done based on 315 trainees’ (155 male and 160 female) questionnaire responses. Pearson Correlation Coefficient, regression analysis, and independent sample t-test were employed to analyse the collected data. Thus, Pearson correlation coefficient revealed statistically significant positive association of trainees’ academic achievement with approaches to learning (r = .59, r2 = 34.81%, p < .001). Regression analysis results showed that approaches to learning is significant predictors of trainees’ academic achievement in polytechnic colleges. The independent sample t-test analysis results indicated that there is no gender difference between male and female trainees in approaches to learning and academic achievement. On the basis of these findings conclusions and recommendations were made