Freshman chemistry as a predictor of future academic success

Abstract

Several studies have identified the score on the math SAT as the best predictor of subsequent performance in freshman chemistry courses2-4, but what predicts success in organic chemistry, and how well does freshman chemistry predict grades in other science courses and success in entering medical school? We have tried to answer these questions by following a group of students through their four years at Columbia University and correlating various measures of their performance. MethodGrades and SAT data were obtained for all 254 freshmen enrolling in freshman chemistry at Columbia College, the all-male undergraduate division of Columbia University, in the fall of 1978, The overwhelming majority of these students are premed since engineers enroll in the School of Engineering from the beginning and only a tiny minority goes on in pure science. Few freshmen take biology or physics concurrently with freshman chemistry because of Columbia's other requirements.The raw grade data were converted to a numerical scale (A+ = 13, A = 12,... F = 0) and in all cases were "corrected" by subtracting the course mean. Thus a student who obtained a grade of B in a course with a mean of 8.19 would have a corrected grade of 9 -8.19 = +0.81. This corrects for differences in course means between years and between departments.

Assessing the relation between language comprehension and performance in general chemistry

“…Student success in introductory university chemistry courses can be predicted by a number of variables. For example, math ability has received considerable attention in predictor studies (Kunhart et al, 1958;Schelar et al, 1963;Sieveking and Larson, 1969;Coley, 1973;Pickering, 1975;Andrews and Andrews, 1979;Ozsogomonyan and Loftus, 1979;Craney and Armstrong, 1985;Rixse and Pickering, 1985;Carmichael et al, 1986;Glover et al, 1991;Bunce and Hutchinson, 1993;Spencer, 1996;Wagner et al, 2002;Tai et al, 2005;Lewis, 2007, 2008; Leopold and Edgar, 2008). Other work has focused on relevant prior knowledge in chemistry, as measured by either ''placement tests'' (Scofield, 1927;Smith and Trimble, 1929;Hovey and Krohn, 1958;Schelar et al, 1963;Sieveking and Larson, 1969;Coley, 1973;Albanese et al, 1976;Hunter, 1976;Ozsogomonyan and Loftus, 1979;Niedzielski and Walmsey, 1982;Craney and Armstrong, 1985;Russell, 1994;McFate and Olmsted, 1999;Legg et al, 2001;Wagner et al, 2002;Pienta, 2003;Bentley and Gellene, 2005;Mills and Sweeney, 2009;Seery, 2009), or high school chemistry grades (Kunhart et al, 1958;...…”

The Effects of Organic Chemistry Anxiety on Undergraduate Students in Relation to Chemistry Attitude and Organic Chemistry Achievement

“…In ReLAtIon to CHeMIstRY AttItUDe AnD oRGAnIC CHeMIstRY ACHIeVeMent (P. 130-138) variables such as spatial visual performance (Krylova, 1997;Pribyl & Bodner, 1987;Rixse & Pickering, 1985;Sevenair, Carmichael, O'Connor & Hunter, 1987). It is also influenced by non-cognitive variables such as attitude and anxiety (Turner & Lindsay, 2003).…”

Exploring the Effect of Prior Knowledge and Gender on Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge Structures in Chemistry

“…Many universities now require a passing score on entry level mathematics and chemistry placement exams before students can enroll in general chemistry courses. Mathematical ability has been long recognized as one of the important requirements for being successful in general chemistry (Rixse & Pickering, 1985). Recent studies suggest that mathematics placement exams tend to show a significant correlation between scores earned on the test and final grades earned in chemistry courses while also highlighting trouble areas and concepts for students (Kilner, 2014).…”