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International
Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review |
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International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review Vol. 3(2), pp. 35-44. February, 2015. ISSN: 2360-7866 DOI: 10.14662/IJARER2015.006
Full Length Research
Predicting Post-Baccalaureate Student’s GPA from cumulative Undergraduate GPA using Logistic Regression Analysis: A Test of Hypothesis
Oscar Wambuguh, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Health Sciences, Department of Nursing & Health Sciences, California State University, East Bay Telephone: (510) 885-3252; E-mail: oscar.wambuguh@csueastbay.edu
Accepted 16 February 2015
Post-baccalaureate (postbac) students are
non-traditional students returning to school after completing their
bachelor’s degrees in either science or non-science majors. As a result,
they are deemed to be more conscientious individuals who are not only
better self-disciplined and high in self-achievement, but also more
hardworking, highly motivated, well organized and ambitious in nature.
Using a sample of 372 students accepted into our postbac program from
fall 2011 to winter 2014, data regarding their graduating institution
and its geographical location, and students’ academic achievement as
measured by cumulative grade point average, was analyzed. Results
indicate that: 1) most postbac students applying to our program come
from California and a small percentage from international locations. 2)
Students’ cumulative undergraduate GPAs weakly correlate with their
postbac cumulative GPAs; but they significantly differ from postbac
cumulative GPAs after at least one full year of coursework in our
program. 3) Logistic regression analysis showed that students entering
the postbac program with overall undergraduate GPAs close to 3.0perform
better than those with lower undergraduate GPAs. 4) Logistic regression
analysis also showed that students entering the program with at least a
3.0 GPA had a higher probability of attaining a cumulative postbac GPA
of at least 3.7, than those with lower than a 3.0 GPA. Postbac students
bring a multiplicity of important personal traits like the ability to
overcome adversity, tenacity, work and varied life experiences, and a
relatively high level of maturity and responsibility compared to
undergraduate student pools. Factors other than academic aptitude are
becoming a critical part of the admissions process for many advanced
programs worldwide. Many studies focusing on student achievement and
admissions applaud and reiterate the importance of such a broad-based
and holistic approach to student admissions particularly in graduate and
health professional programs. Cite This Article As: Wambuguh O (2015). Predicting Post-Baccalaureate Student’s GPA from cumulative Undergraduate GPA using Logistic Regression Analysis: A Test of Hypothesis. Inter. J. Acad. Res. Educ. Rev. 3(2): 35-44.
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