Prediction of 4-year college student performance using cognitive and noncognitive predictors and the impact on demographic status of admitted students.

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the validity of noncognitive and cognitive predictors of the performance of college students at the end of their 4th year in college. Results indicate that the primary predictors of cumulative college grade point average (GPA) were Scholastic Assessment Test/American College Testing Assessment (SAT/ACT) scores and high school GPA (HSGPA) though biographical data and situational judgment measures added incrementally to this prediction. SAT/ACT scores and HSGPA were collected and used in various ways by participating institutions in the admissions process while situational judgment measures and biodata were collected for research purposes only during the first few weeks of the participating students' freshman year. Alternative outcomes such as a self-report of performance on a range of student performance dimensions and a measure of organizational citizenship behavior, as well as class absenteeism, were best predicted by noncognitive measures. The racial composition of a student body selected with only cognitive measures or both cognitive and noncognitive measures under various levels of selectivity as well as the performance of students admitted under these scenarios is also reported. The authors concluded that both the biodata and situational judgment measures could be useful supplements to cognitive indexes of student potential in college admissions.Keywords: college admissions, selection, noncognitive measures, biodata, situational judgment As is true when organizations hire employees, colleges and universities seek to admit and recruit the best students. Just as the qualifications deemed to make a good employee vary across organizations or managers, so do the factors underlying notions about excellent student performance. In the educational context, these factors vary as a function of the university or admissions personnel who evaluate student credentials and performance. Traditionally, college admissions personnel use high school grade point averages (HSGPA), standardized tests of cognitive ability in the areas of verbal and mathematical skills (Scholastic Assessment Test/American College Testing Assessment, or SAT/ACT), and sometimes records of achievement in specific subject matter areas to assess student potential. Each factor provides unique information about the applicant. Letters of recommendation, essays, or interviews are being used increasingly by universities to complement these HSGPA and SAT/ACT scores. Schools vary widely in their assessment of the information contained in these supplemental materials. For example, while a reviewer at one school might assign a subjective rating to each component of the application, a reviewer at another school might form ratings of personal qualities (e.g., leadership) on the basis of a holistic review of the materials (Rigol, 2003). Clearly, any systematic and thorough processing of this information, especially when large numbers of applicants must be processed in a short period of time, places a heavy burden on admissions p...

University Applicants’ Critical Thinking Skills: The Case of the Finnish Educational Sciences

“…The predictive values of aptitude tests and HSGPA for academic achievement in universities have been well verified in the United States (e.g., Geiser & Santelices, 2007;Schmitt et al, 2009;Sackett, Kuncel, Arneson, Cooper, & Waters, 2009). In Finland, while universities can decide their student admission criteria independently, matriculation examination grades and/or entrance examinations are the most commonly used.…”

The Underprepared College Student: How Non-Cognitive Factors Influence Academic Preparedness

“…Additionally, the non-cognitive factor of persistence suggested that an individuals' perseverance accounted for successful educational retention (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007). Schmitt et al (2009) demonstrated that non-cognitive measures incrementally increase the assessment accuracy of freshman students' academic preparedness during college admission when added to standard cognitive tests. Non-cognitive factors related to intrinsic motivation have a positive association with academic persistence (Kaufman & Dodge, 2009).…”

“…Schmitt, et al (2009) conducted a study in which non-cognitive assessments were used to augment the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) assessment. Boylan (2009) incorporated non-cognitive (i.e., affective & personal) factors with cognitive factors to develop targeted interventions for underprepared students.…”

“…Non-cognitive measures incrementally increase the assessment accuracy of freshman students' academic preparedness during college admission when added to standard cognitive tests (Schmitt, et al, 2009). Additionally, non-cognitive measures can increase the assessment accuracy of cognitive measures while increasing gender and ethnic diversity as well.…”

“…Most colleges in the United States do not consider non-cognitive factors, such as emotional stability, social skills, and persistence, when assessing students' academic preparedness (Boylan, 2009;Lindqvist & Vestman, 2011). Furthermore, policy discussions in the U.S. often underrate the relevance of non-cognitive factors, despite the fact that some research has suggested that looking at non-cognitive factors alongside cognitive factors can increase the assessment accuracy of students' academic preparedness (Heckman, 2008;Schmitt et al, 2009;Sternberg, 2008). Without an accurate assessment of a college student's academic preparedness, it is impossible to design a targeted intervention that will help to address the academic needs of the underprepared (Boylan, 2009).…”