Some Characteristics Which Differentiate Between Academically Successful And Unsuccessful College Business Students

Author : Bobbie B. DeCuir
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780549000761
Total Pages : 611 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (7 download)

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Download or read book An Examination of the Critical Psycho-social Factors that Differentiate Academically Successful First-generation College Students from Academically Unsuccessful First-generation College Students Based Upon Narrative Self-descriptions written by Bobbie B. DeCuir and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 611 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The number of first generation college students is increasing on college campuses nation wide, and as the United States becomes more culturally and socio-economically diverse these numbers are slated to rise. These students face barriers that interfere with both college admissions and retention once they are enrolled. Several studies compare first generation students with their non-first generation peers in regard to high school preparation and transitional issues. However, very little research focuses on the actual college experiences of these students. This study utilized a phenomenological form of qualitative research to examine the lived experiences of 16 first generation college students who attended Summer Bridge Programs. The goal of this study was to determine what critical psych-social factors differentiated the academically successful students from the academically unsuccessful students based upon self-descriptive narratives. The academically unsuccessful students were those students with a grade point average of less than a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, while the academically successful students were those students with a 2.5 grade point average or higher. The psycho-social factors that differentiated these students emerged from the semistructured interviews of these two groups. Four super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: Locus of Control; Self-Efficacy; Self-Regulation; and Meta-Cognition. The theme of Meta-Cognition proved to be the strongest indicator of differences between the two groups. Under this theme the unsuccessful students exhibited tendencies that demonstrated ineffective cognitive strategies, ineffective planning, and overall poor judgments in academic contexts. The successful students demonstrated a high skill level under this thematic cluster. These students revealed a high ability to implement cognitive strategies, examine their effectiveness, and then change strategies if the task so demanded. This study was done in hopes of filling a definitive gap in the literature in regard to first generation students and what we know of their college experiences and their psychological and social development during college. Findings from this study have several implications for the academic success of first generation students. Results point to specific activities that can create environments that will better ensure the success of these students.