A study of the relationships between student background factors and grade earned in an introductory college mathematics course and in final cumulative grade point averag

This study examined the relationships between ratings on 17 student background factors and two outcome variables: (a) an introductory college mathematics course grade and (b) the final cumulative grade-point average at the end of 4 years of college. The data for these variables were obtained from the Keene State College records of 198 students who took an introductory mathematics course during the 1983-1984 academic year and who completed 4 years at this college. Null hypotheses were used. The hypotheses were tested at the.05 level.;A multiple correlation and regression analysis was applied to each of the outcome variables. This was done in order to measure the efficiency of predicting college mathematics grade and final 4 year grade-point average from 16 and 17 selected student background variables, respectively, for this defined population.;The results of the statistical analysis of grade achieved in an introductory college mathematics course showed that five variables did, in fact, contribute significant and useful information in the prediction of mathematics achievement. The two strongest of the significant variables for mathematics course grade are (a) the student's standing in the high school graduating class and (b) the student's Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score in mathematics.;These two variables are also the two strongest predictors for the final cumulative grade-point average. A total of five variables met the criteria for significance for both mathematics course grade and for grade-point average.;The total explained variance in mathematics course achievement was 31%. Sixty-nine percent of the variance remains unexplained by the factors under analysis in this study.;The total explained variance in final cumulative grade-point average at the end of 4 years of college was 30%. For this outcome variable, 70% of the variance remains unexplained.;The identification and study of additional factors that are significantly related to mathematics achievement and to grade-point average appears to be needed for the further facilitation of appropriate student placement in the college mathematics curriculum.