Predicting Academic Success Of First-Year Engineering Students From Standardized Test Scores And Psychosocial Variables

The author proposes a model combining standardized test scores and psychosocial variables to predict students' academic success. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (verbal, mathematics, and total) scores and the Non-Cognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) were used for predicting grade-point-average (GPA) of 690 engineering freshmen in a public research university in Southeastern United States of America. Multiple step-wise regression analysis revealed SAT scores and psychosocial variables for predicting student academic performance. Different predictor variables were found based on gender. This study shed light on admissions criteria and academic intervention programs for enhancing academic success of engineering students.