Suchergebnisse

The r between varying degrees of student success & 2 diff types of student characteristics was investigated: (1) background (age at matriculation, sex, father's occup, father's educ'al attainment, mother's educ'al attainment, hometown size, & HSch grade point average); & (2) academic orientation. The relationship between student success & certain types of reference group support was also studied but results are reported elsewhere (W. T. Gustavus, "Successful Students and Dropouts: An Investigation into Reference Group Support and Student Attrition," unpublished paper read at the annual meetings of the Southwestern Sociol'al Society [see SA E8035/SWSA/1971/0104]). 3 diff groups of students were studied: dropouts (N=122), readmitted students (N=186), & successful students (N=234). Very few diff's emerged among the 3 groups re background characteristics. Only father's educ'al attainment was found to be signif'ly related to degree of success: the fathers of readmitted students & dropouts had higher educ'al attainments than the fathers of successful students. When the 3 groups were compared as freshmen & sophomores, the readmitted & successful students were generally more academically motivated & vocationally committed than the dropouts. When the same groups were compared as juniors & seniors, the same trend was found, with the readmitted students being even more motivated & committed than their younger counterparts. By controlling for yr in Coll, it was possible to elaborate what otherwise would have amounted to another traditional comparison between total success or total failure & obtain a more realistic picture. Further res on attrition with the sample of readmitted students is suggested. 3 Tables. M. Maxfield.

WHILE GRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ARE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH PRODUCTING TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS, PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS FOCUS ON EDUCATING EFFECTIVE PRACTITIONERS. THIS DISTINCTION BECOMES SIGNIFICANT FOR MASTER IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (MPA) PROGRAMS IMMEDIATELY AT THE POINT OF ADMISSION. WHO SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AND ON WHAT BASIS? MANY IN-CAREER STUDENTS APPLY FOR ADMISSION TO WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY'S MPA PROGRAM TEN OR FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER GRADUATION FROM COLLEGE. OFTEN THEY HAVE ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN THEIR CAREERS DESPITE ACADEMIC RECORDS POCKMARKED WITH LOW GRADES. THE UNIVERSITY IS THEN LEFT WITH THE TASK OF DECIDING WHETHER TO ACCEPT THESE APPARENT LATE BLOOMERS ON THE STRENGTH OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OR REJECT THEM ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEIR ANTIQUATED ACADEMIC RECORDS ARE UNSATISFACTORY AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT ON-THE-JOB SUCCESS IS AN INADEQUATE PREDICTOR OF ABILITY TO DO GRADUATE ACADEMIC WORK.