Doing What Matters: A Framework for Academic Success

This review synthesizes the findings of research compiled between the relationship on international student success and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Increasingly, within higher education, IELTS test scores have become not only a benchmark for testing the language proficiency of international students who speak English as an additional language, and subsequently their entry into higher education institutions, but also a presumption of student academic learning success. A growing concern for many higher education institutions is that proficiency in English does not necessarily equate to international students’ preparedness to study at the higher education level with regards to their academic learning success. Amidst growing ambivalence related to the use of IELTS as a placement tool, this literature review outlines three main themes found in connection to the correlation between IELTS and international students’ academic learning success at the undergraduate level. The first two themes focus on the positive and negative correlations between IELTS scores and international students’ academic learning success. The third theme is related to a social dimension which focuses on the fact that, for international students, linguistic proficiency is linked to how they adapt to their new learning and living environments. Here the relationship between IELTS as an indicator of students’ preparedness for the rigours of academic study is being explored. The review ends with a short examination of published documents by IELTS. Overall, this literature review suggests that a common theme found in the published research is that even with a high IELTS score, international students do need academic support when studying at the higher education level.

The Relationship Between Locus of Control, Metacognition, and Academic Success

Causal attributions (explanations for outcomes) have been found to predict college students’ academic success; however, not all students attributing success or failure to adaptive (i.e., controllable) causes perform well in university. Eccles et al.’s (Achievement and achievement motives. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, pp 75–145, 1983) expectancy-value theory posits that subjective task value likely mediates the relationship between causal attributions and academic success. The current study tested value as a mediator of the relationship between causal dimensions and academic success measured by perceived academic success and academic emotions. Participants were 389 college students from a Midwestern university. Results suggested that students who attributed their failure to internal, personally controllable causes perceived themselves as more successful if they also valued college education as enjoyable, useful, and/or rated its cost value as low. Findings also revealed that value of college education mediated the predictive effects of causal dimensions on several academic emotions, including pride, anger, shame, and guilt. Theoretical developments of attribution theory as well as practical implications for improving college students’ academic motivation, success, and positive emotions are discussed.

Background: Unsatisfactory academic performance is a major challenge for universities and schools of nursing globally. Early identification of students who are at risk of unsatisfactory academic performance may assist in decreasing the attrition rate and increasing academic success and progression.Purpose: To review available evidence that determines predictors of academic performance, success and retention amongst undergraduate nursing students.Design: A systematic review of research studies conducted between 2006 and 2016 to determine the predictive validity of factors predicting academic performance, success and retention amongst nursing students.Method: Science Direct, Escohost, BioMed Central, PubMed, SAGE Journals and Directory of Open Access Journals were used to search the literature for studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using six indicators: selection bias, research design, data collection methods, data source, withdrawals and method of analysis.Findings: Of the 530 studies identified, 17 reached the desired quality and were shortlisted for systematic review. The predictors of academic performance and success were identified from the following categories: (1) student profile characteristics, (2) student affective factors, (3) academic factors, (4) environmental factors, (5) academic outcomes and (6) psychological outcomes.Conclusion: Early identification of at-risk nursing students, and the implementation of remedial action, are fundamental in preventing high attrition rates, and thus promote academic success.

This research focused on the influence of critical thinking skills and study skills on the academic success of senior high school students in Lorenzo S. Sarmiento Sr. National High School. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of critical thinking skills, study skills, and students’ academic success based on their specific indicators, examine the significant relationship between critical thinking skills and students’ academic success, as well as the relationship between study skills and students’ academic success, and identify which domains of critical thinking skills and study skills significantly influenced students’ academic success. This study employed a quantitative-correlational research design involving 213 Grade 11 students. The study applied statistical methods, including mean, Spearman’s rho, and multiple regression analysis. Findings indicated that the level of critical thinking skills was high, the level of study skills was also high, and the academic success level was high; there was a significant relationship between critical thinking skills and students’ academic success, as well as between study skills and students’ academic success. Furthermore, all three domains of critical thinking skills and three out of the four domains of study skills influenced the students’ academic success. Therefore, critical thinking skills and study skills played a crucial role in achieving students’ academic success.

Academic support services can improve undergraduate and graduate nursing program outcomes such as program completion and passing the NCLEX. Academic success coaching complements traditional support strategies by providing study skills and time management tools, promoting goal setting and self-efficacy, and referring students to support resources. This review examined interventions that academic success coaches use to improve student success and retention, licensing examination pass rates, and academic success. A scoping literature review identified types of interventions that resulted in significant improvement in student academic and holistic success. Four classes of interventions were identified as effective in supporting student success: (1) academic support; (2) social and emotional support; (3) clinical guidance; and (4) course and program design. Academic coaches are educated to identify student needs, provide support, and refer students to resources to improve academic outcomes. Future research should evaluate the need for academic success coaches to promote academic nursing student success. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(8):515-524.].

The present study investigated the key determinants of Chinese students’ academic success in terms of GPA and the number of credit hours earned in Korean Universities. The determinants investigated included gender, age, prior academic performance, academic self-efficacy, the TOPIK score, self-perceived Korean and English proficiency, and the previous length of Korean and English study. This study specifically focused on three research questions concerning the prediction of Chinese students’ academic success in Korean universities, the additional contribution of Korean and English language proficiency, and the examination of prediction patterns for undergraduate and graduate students. A questionnaire was issued and collected from 138 undergraduate and 63 graduate Chinese students studying in 27 different Korean universities. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographic information, academic background, language proficiency and psychological factors. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to address the proposed research questions. The findings demonstrated that traditional factors, including gender and prior academic performance, were effective predictors of academic success. However, academic self-efficacy did not play an influential role in participants’ academic success. Language proficiency had a moderate effect on Chinese students’ academic success, which is consistent with previous studies that reported a positive statistically significant relationship between language proficiency and academic success. The different natures of undergraduate and graduate studies determined that the predictors of undergraduate and graduate students’ academic success were different. The present study addressed the research gap by integrating theoretical constructs from both psychology and language education, and also by exploring the relationships between language proficiency and academic success in a less researched test, TOPIK, and in two second languages, Korean and English, at the same time. The findings of this study contribute to the overall understanding of international students’ academic success, in particular the success of Chinese students studying in Korean universities.

The Cambodian government aims to promote students’ academic success in the country’s tertiary education. In order to reach this goal, it is important to explore possible potential factors that determine the educational attainment of Cambodian students. There has been no previous research on students’ academic success in Cambodian higher learning institutions, while this topic has been widely researched in the United States and some developed countries since the 1970’s. Accordingly, a number of research models have been developed by famous scholars to determine institutional factors which lead to the outcome of better academic performance in post secondary education. Therefore, this paper intends to conceptualize the academic experiences connected to existing institutional policies for contributing to the enhancement of students’ academic success in the specific context of Cambodian higher education institutions. In this paper, Astin’s theory (1984, 1993, 1999) and a Tinto’s theory (1975, 1993) are employed to link the concept of institutional policies and Cambodian students’ academic success because they model the relationship between institutional experiences of students, which are deemed to be relevant to the current status of Cambodian educational policies. Based on these concepts, this paper will propose ten variables as predicting factors that influence institutional policies toward students’ academic success and will design a conceptual model to elaborate this influence within the Cambodian educational system. Thus, this model to predict students’ academic success is proposed as a result of a literature review among the relationships of theoretical model of student input (pre-entry attributes), academic environment (institutional experiences and policies), and students’ academic success. Based on these relationships, ten propositions are developed.

Purpose Academic failure is seen as an educational challenge, and students are unable to adapt to the required academic skills that could foster academic success. Research on students’ academic success and emotional support along the lines of moderation and mediation effects of resilience and self-regulation, especially among undergraduates in Sub-Saharan Africa (with Nigeria in context), is sparse. This study, therefore, investigates the moderating and mediating effects of resilience and self-regulation on the relationship between emotional support and academic success among undergraduates in South-West Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a non-experimental design of correlational research type and was underpinned by the conservation of resources (COR) and self-determination theories (SDT). The study population was comprised of undergraduates from universities in South-West Nigeria. The questionnaires used for data collection were the Students’ Academic Success Questionnaire (SASQ; a = 0.87), Students’ Emotional Support Questionnaire (SESQ; a = 0.93), Students’ Resilience Questionnaire (SRQ; a = 0.94) and Students’ Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ; a = 0.95). The Hayes macro process model 5 in SPSS version 26.0 was used for the data analysis at a 0.05% significance level. Findings Findings indicate a significant positive relationship among undergraduates’ emotional support, self-regulation, resilience and academic success; resilience significantly moderates the relationship between emotional support and academic success; self-regulation partially mediates the impact of the relationship between emotional support and academic success. Originality/value Students’ academic success over the years has been attributed to several variables, with students falling below the perceived academic benchmarks. Nevertheless, studies investigating the moderating or mediating role of academic resilience through self-regulation and emotional support on students’ academic success in universities, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, seem sparse. More importantly, this study provides empirical evidence that undergraduates’ resilience, self-regulation and emotional support positively impact academic success. Also, undergraduates’ resilience positively and significantly moderated the relationship between emotional support and academic success. Moreover, undergraduates’ self-regulation partially mediated the relationship between emotional support and academic success.

Academic success among Latino youth is low relative to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. It is important that school counselors recognize factors that influence school success among Latino youth and develop strategies to assist those students in reaching their potential. The authors discuss Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise as a framework by which school counselors can conceptualize school failure among Latino youth and devise developmental, contextual, and culturally sensitive interventions to improve Latino students’ academic and career success. They present a case study to illustrate ideas and discuss specific implications for school counselors and possibilities for future research.

The current study sought to determine if student employment was a significant moderator of the relationship between congruence with college major, academic major satisfaction, and academic major success. Correlation results suggested that student employment has a negative relationship with academic success as measured by grade point average. No study hypotheses were supported but regression analyses showed significant impact of cognitive influences on academic major satisfaction and academic major success. Clinicians are encouraged to aid students in planning the relationship between required work and educational responsibilities, as well as consider implications of negative career thinking on academic satisfaction and success.

This qualitative study focused on academically successful undocumented immigrant college students who also advocate for access to educational opportunities for others. Using purposeful sampling, eight students attending a large university were recruited and interviewed. Findings indicate that academically successful students are eager to obtain economic security and are highly motivated to give back to their communities. Respondents emphasized that pro-immigrant public policy and institutional processes and support are important factors for their development of academic resiliency and success. Findings revealed that although the results of the U.S. presidential election have saddened and angered the respondents, they continue to express their strong commitment to pursue their dreams. Researchers are urged to focus on academically successful undocumented immigrant students in order to learn about the factors that contribute to their academic success. Learning from resilient students can inform educators regarding effective practices that support students who are currently less successful in school.

Good at school = successful on the job? Explaining gender differences in scholastic and vocational success

Determinants of students’ academic success in English as a medium of instruction (EMI) classes: A systematic review

The analysis is aimed at defining peculiarities of mental representations in homogeneous cluster groups, represented by the students characterized by different (high, average or low) academic progress levels. Deductive and correlation design of the research is defined here as a general method. Statistic design: the research is held taking into account a mixed method, including several qualitative and quantitative techniques of data processing and interpreting; more specifically cluster analysis (used for relatively homogeneous groups defining), multiple regression analysis (used to determine the impact of mental representations characteristics on academic success) as well as Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The average value of the regression model significance reflects the veracity of the research results. The attained statistic results prove that mental representations have peculiar impact on students’ academic success and there is an effect of the students’ academic activity progress splitting. On the one hand, the research helps to identify cluster groups of students characterized by success exteriorization indices growth and academic success indices reduction. On the other hand, non-linear impact of mental representations characteristics on students’ academic success was identified (the effect of inversion); i.e. some mental representations indices are highly developed, but the quality of education is low and individual resource is hard to implement in everyday life. Academic progress index, high level of studying and professional competences acquirement orientation as well as the activity factor are defined as measures of academic success mental representations splitting in groups. These results and conclusions prove the scientific fact that mental representations have an influence on the students’ academic success. This influence is multidimensional and vague. These facts offer a challenge of the research in considering highly-effective psychotechnologies for developing mental representations in general and students’ academic success in particular.