In the effort of Lyceum Institute of Technology to find good predictors of collegiate academic success and survivability, it aims to find good predictors of GPA for First Year. The author analyzed the factors of gender, program of study, and year of entry, and verbal and non-verbal aptitudes (based on OLSAT), to find out which of these can predict GPA for First Year First Semester. 144 students from ABCOMM (n=78) and BSBA (n=66) are included in the study. There were 98 female and 46 male students in the study. As to Program of Study, ABCOMM got higher Stanines (4.41>3.77) and GPAs (2.01>2.31, p=0.002) than BSBA. As to year of entry, those who are now in their second year were better than their first year counterparts in stanines (4.23>4.01) and GPA (2.08>2.21, p=0.183). As to gender, girls were better in Stanines (4.17>4.00 p=0.798) and GPAs (2.05>2.35, p=0.003).
Correlating stanine and GPA yields a correlation coefficient of 0.331 (p=0.000). Regression Analysis using SPSS 12.0 rejects the OLSAT results as predictors of GPA, and instead “chose” the individual grades of Math 1 and English A as best predictors, with r square reaching as high as 80.1%. Forcing the stanines as predictors of GPA yields an r-square of 0.11 only. Moving further, using the non-verbal stanine to predict Math GPA yields an rsquare of 0.13 (stepwise regression). Again, stepwise regression “chooses” Total Stanine (instead of the more direct Verbal Stanine) to predict English A grade. However, the r-square is a minimal 0.159. It is recommended to review (1) the grading system, (2) the scope and sequence of the curriculum offerings especially those in theFreshmen year, and (3) the appropriateness of the entrance tests being given to prospective students.
ISSN 2094-8905 (Print)
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