Predictors of Academic Success in the Undergraduate Psychology Major

Abstract

Ball State U?~iversity Tranmipt data were compiled on 288 recent colkge graduates maoring in psychology to determine tk umiables that correlated best with grade point average in psychology (PSYGPA). T k graduates were a highly diverse group in r m of high school academic backgrounds, grades in high schwl, and Schohtic Aptitude Test scores. Factor analysis of 26 predictor variables revealed three clusters of umiables: high school gracksluerbal, general studies, and m a r h t i c s . Multiple regression analyses revealed PSYGPA to be predicted by the grade in Inductury Psychology, gene~al studies coursework, and matkmarics faccurs, which togethe7 accounted for 67% of the uariance. Tk prediction equntion differed somewhar from that obtained for students at anotkr univenity; consequmtly, predictim~ equations used to screen major.^ should be based only on students at a paninch institution.Predicting overall college achievement has received much attention, but predicting grades in specific undergraduate academic majors has not. Studies within psychology have mostly sought to predict success in graduate programs (e.g., Dennis, 1979;Sollod, 1979); studies of academic success in undergraduate psychology have focused on the prediction of grades in specific courses. For example, Grigs and Jackson (19881, Carstens and Beck (1986), and Hedges and Thomas (1980) used prematriculation variables to predict success in college introductory psychology courses. In addition, Giambra (1976) sought to predict suc. cess in a behavioral statistics course. Kornhrut (1987), in the fint study of overall academic performance in the un. dergraduate psychology major, found that students doing work in the natural sciences in high school were more likely to attain honors in their undergraduate psychology majors than were students with preparation in other areas, including psychology.Perhaps because until recently there has been no surplus of student. selecting psychology as a major in the United States (McGovern, Furumoto, Halpern, K~mble. & McKeachie. 1991), there has been little interest in using factors that predict undergraduate academic success to limit the number of majors. Shepperd (1993) determined predicton of grades in the psychology major for the primary purpose of developing a model to select the mast appropriate students for admission to the major.Our investigation, like Shepperd's (1993), sought to determine correlates of ~rades in the psychology major. Itc primary purpose, however, was to provide insi~ht into the pattern of aptitudes and skills that the discipline requires.In keeping with that slightly different goal, we analyzed the number of and grades earned in certain high school courses. In addition, grades in various college-level general studies courses were considered, as was success in the introductory. statistics, and research methods courses raken early in the major. Method

Validating a Psychology as a Helping Profession Scale

“…Although 76,000 baccalaureate degrees in psychology are awarded every year (Kuther & Morgan, 2007), the reasons for choosing psychology are unclear, especially because an undergraduate degree in psychology does not lend itself to a professional career as a psychologist. Research on reasons for studying psychology or pursuing the major include a myriad of themes relating to interest in specific careers, academic strengths of students (Meeker, Fox, & Whitley, 1994), impact of gender roles (McCray, King, & Bailly, 2005;Metzner, Rajecki, & Lauer, 1994;Pion et al, 1996), and personality variables such as empathy (Harton & Lyons, 2003) or openness to experience (Marrs, Barb, & Ruggiero, 2007).…”

Producing Mentors in Psychology

“…Meeker, Fox, and Whitley (1994) studied 288 psychology graduates from Ball State University and found that the best predictors of psychology OPA were grades in introductory psychology, general studies course work, and mathematics (including statistics), which accounted for 67% of the variance in their sample. Shepperd (1993) found that a discriminant function prediction model, based on grade in introductory psychology plus first semester OPA to predict psychology OPA at graduation, correctly classified 82.4% of cases in a sample of 342 Holy Cross University graduates.…”

“…Neither Meeker et al (1994) nor Shepperd (1993) considered the impact of gender in their prediction models. If one assumes that their samples consisted of about two-thirds women, it would have been valuable if they could have established that their models were equally valid for women and men.…”

Measures of Success: Exploring Student Approaches to Learning Public Health

“…Research on the scholarship of teaching and learning has demonstrated that faculty are interested in understanding their students' learning techniques. Some disciplines, including sociology, finance, and psychology, have already begun to investigate student perceptions of success and learning among their undergraduate majors (e.g., McKinney, 2005McKinney, , 2008Meeker, Fox, & Whitley, 1994;Paulsen & Gentry, 1995). Such an understanding of these student perceptions can be used to inform pedagogy in areas of course content and approach, better allowing for the instructor to connect to the students, tailor the learning environment to suit student needs, and provide a more enriching learning experience.…”