An examination of the high-achieving community college transfer student at a research university

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that might be contributing to the high academic success (GPA 3.0 or greater) of certain community college transfer students at a research university. The data for this study were collected in the Spring of 1990 using the population of Maryland community college transfer students enrolling at the University of Maryland, College Park for the Fall, 1988 semester. Discriminant function analysis was used to answer the following question, "What predicts academic success, as defined by grade-point average, of community college transfer students to a research university?" The criterion or dependent variable was group membership determined by grade-point average earned during the first semester of attendance at the University (Dl = GPA 3.0 or greater, DO = GPA less than 3.0).