Achievement among first-year university students: an integrated and contextualised approach

• Published in: European journal of psychology of education 2013-09, Vol.28 (3), p.641-662
• Main Authors: De Clercq, Mikaël, Galand, Benoît, Dupont, Serge, Frenay, Mariane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic Failure; Academic learning; Academic Persistence; Achievement tests; Age; Biological and medical sciences; Classification; College Freshmen; College Students; Education; Educational Environment; Educational Psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; High school students; Higher education; Investigations; Learner Engagement; Learning; Learning motivation; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Majors (Students); Multiple Regression Analysis; Parent Background; Pedagogic Psychology; Perceptions; Physical Education; Predictor Variables; Prior Learning; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Questionnaires; SAT assessment; School environment; Science Education; Secondary Education; Secondary schools; Self Efficacy; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomic status; Specialization; Students; Study Habits; Universities; University students
• ISSN: 0256-2928; 1878-5174
• DOI: 10.1007/s10212-012-0133-6

This paper presents a prospective study aimed at identifying the predictors of academic achievement among first-year university students. It tries to develop an inclusive view of academic achievement by taking into account the possible differential impact of several predictors in two different faculties of the university. Some 317 university students from the two faculties (science and physical education), who were in their first year at university, participated in the study. During the academic year, these students completed a questionnaire. The outcome variable was their average academic mark at the end of the year. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the most powerful predictors of achievement. The results showed that past school failure, parental education and self-efficacy beliefs predicted achievement in both programs. Age, secondary-school specialisation, reasons for choosing the program, deep processing, time spent studying and intention to persist have also been highlighted as significant predictors of success, but only in one of the two faculties. Self-efficacy was the most powerful predictor of achievement in physical education courses, whereas intention to persist was the most powerful predictor in science. These results show the importance of adopting an integrated and contextualised approach to exploring the predictors of academic achievement at university.