An administrative model for predicting student success in fundamentals of mathematics at Lincoln Memorial University

The purpose of this study was to identify those members of a set of nine variables which best predicted success in Fundamentals of Mathematics at Lincoln Memorial University. The set of variables under consideration included: two scores from the California Achievement Test, Computation Skills, X(l), and Mathematical Concepts, X(2), two scores from the Self Scoring Placement Tests in Mathematics, Applied Arithmetic, X(3), and Algebra I, X(4), age, X(5), income, X(9), years of mathematics completed in high school, X(6), grade in high school mathematics, X(7) and X(8), and years of science in high school, X(10). Data were collected from student test scores and college admissions and financial aid records.

The three variables which were the most significant predictors of success in order of decreasing significance, were Self Scoring Placement Tests in Mathematics (Algebra I), X(4), income, X(9), and age, X(5). The total model had an R² value of .51. The model containing only those variables which were most significant had an R² of .54. The regression equation containing the three most significant variables was:

Y = 67 .22 + .90 X(4) + .05 X(5) + (-1.7 x 10^-4) X(9).