PREDICTING SUCCESS OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS DURING THE FRESHMAN YEAR

This article reports the results of two research studies, which had as their objective identifying factors, that would predict both the academically successful and at‐risk freshmen engineering students. The participants were volunteers from the entering freshman class of engineering students at a medium sized southeastern university. Successful performance was defined as completing the freshman year with a grade point ratio of 2.0 or higher. In the 1st year of the study, 12 variables, alone and in various combinations, were correlated with grade point ratio. The best combination of predictor variables included the measures of academic performance (SAT‐Total score and Predicted Grade Point Ratio) and selected items from the Career Decision Scale (Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico, & Koschier, 1976). The following year the study was replicated, using the 1st year parameters to predict successful students and students at risk of failing. Implications of these results are discussed and extended research into the interaction of career indecision and academic performance is suggested. 1990 National Career Development Association