Calculus eligibility as an at-risk predictor for degree completion in undergraduate engineering

Academic readiness and its association with retention and success in engineering has been an ongoing topic of discussion in higher education. These discussions largely stem from the problematic persistence rates that many colleges and schools of engineering encounter. The ability to retain students in engineering until degree completion has a large research base, although, studies over time report a variety of factors that contribute to a student’s success in engineering. Many address the entry point or readiness for university mathematics courses as the critical variable, however, few rely on empirical evidences. This study specifically examines engineering degree completion of calculus eligible students compared to non-eligible calculus students upon acceptance into a College of Engineering as a first-semester freshman. A 10-year span of University student engineering admission and completion data was accessed and analyzed in efforts to provide distinguishing qualities in student preparedness as they pertain to calculus eligibility as a differentiator. The results of this study show a statistically significant difference in the rate of degree completion for these two groups of students. This paper discusses the methodology and results for how being calculus eligible as the first math course taken in an engineering program impacts a student’s ability to complete the engineering degree.