Predicting Student Persistence: Pre-Entry Attributes that Lead to Success in a Collegiate Flight Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine student pre-entry attributes to predict student persistence and academic success in a professional flight program. The data set constructed for this study was drawn from a sample of 390 full-time, first-time students enrolled at a University, with Commercial Aviation as their declared academic major at the time of entry. The data examined the students’ academic progress for the first year to the second year of enrollment. Pre-existing data were gathered from each student’s institutional record and financial aid record. Multiple regression analysis was used to calculate the degree to which pre-entry attributes predicted student persistence and academic success. The study found significant relationships between pre-entry attributes in determining student persistence and academic success. Pre-entry attributes accounted for 9.6% of the variance in persistence, and 32.3% of the variance in academic success.