College Persistence and Grade Outcomes: Noncognitive Variables as Predictors for African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic, Native American, and White Students. AIR 1996 Annual Forum Paper.

This study investigated the efficacy of noncognitive variables and academic background as a function of student ethnic group for the prediction of college grade performance and persistence. New freshmen during four consecutive fall semesters were administered the Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshmen Survey. The sample included 251 Hispanic, 378 Asian-American, 644 African-American, 15 Native American, and 8,301 White students. Data concerning student attitudes, family characteristics, and high school background were evaluated. From these items, seven noncognitive and other variables were constructed: achievement expectancies, academic self-concept, financial goals, social goals, desire for recognition, parental education, and high school curriculum. All variables were analyzed for their efficacy as predictors of college attrition. American College Testing Program Composite scores, high school class percentile rank, academic self-concept and expectations, high school curriculum, and parental education significantly correlated with grade point average and enrollment status after 2 and 4 years. Financial and social goals were negatively correlated with achievement outcomes. Some differences between student ethnic groups on effective predictors of subsequent achievement were found. Ten tables give data on the correlations found. (Contains 35 references.) (CK)