Predicting Community College and University Student Success

Abstract

The current study explored the differential influences that behavioral learning strategies (i.e., cognitive–metacognitive, resource management), motivational profiles, and academic anxiety appraisals have on college-level learners in two unique learning contexts. Using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant analysis, the study first compared these variables across learners from a community college and traditional 4-year university located within the same regional area. The study also employed a series of multiple regression analyses to investigate the influence of these variables in predicting student performance outcomes (i.e., grade point average). The results illustrate that prior research on those factors most salient within student academic success prediction models within a social cognitive framework function as expected for the university population. However, the community college learner experience deviates significantly from this standard model. For the community college learner, it is the environmental factor that appears to be the most significant to predicting student success. These findings highlight those factors most influential in academic performance outcomes among diverse student populations.