Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1988

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Weppner, Daniel B.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this research study was to predict student success in four programs at a technical university. The predictors of success: Scholastic Aptitude Test Verbal (SATV) and mathematics (SATM) scores, high school rank (HR), number of mathematics courses taken in high school (NMC), mathematics grade point average (MGPA), and age were examined to find the relationship with grade point average at the time of graduation (GPA) for each of four degree programs. Data was comprised of 254 freshman of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach in the fall 1982. Of these 254 freshmen, 51 were from the Aeronautical Engineering program, 163 were from the Aeronautical Science program, 25 were from the Computer Science program, and 15 were from the Aviation Management program. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients between GPA and each of the six predictors were computed. For the entire sample, SATM (r =.47, p <.001), MGPA (r =.45, p <.001), HR (r =.46, p <.001), and SATV (r =.26, p <.001) were significant predictors of GPA. HR (r = 0.55, p <.001) SATM (r =.48, p <.001), and MGPA (r =.43, p <.01) were found to be significant predictors of GPA for the Aeronautical Engineering program. MGPA (r =.53, p <.001) was the best predictor of GPA for the Aeronautical Science program. SATM (r =.51, p <.001), HR (r =.47, p <.001), and SATV (r =.34, p <.001) were significant predictors of GPA for the Aeronautical Science program. Age and NMC were not significant predictors of GPA in any program. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that the correlation coefficient was significant for the entire sample (F(6,178) = 14.14, p <.01), the Aeronautical Engineering program (F(6,33) = 4.24, p <$.01), and the Aeronautical Science program (F(6,109) = 14.34, p <.01). A student's GPA at the 95% level of confidence could be estimated within one letter grade for the Aeronautical Engineering and Aeronautical Science programs. It was recommended that the high school rank be included as an admission criterion in addition to SAT scores. This study could be extended to compare the success rates of students in different programs.

Extent

89 p.

Comments

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1988.|College of Education|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1988.

Identifier

FADT11925

Format

pdf

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