Who Succeeds at University? Factors predicting academic performance in first year Australian university students

2001/05/01 by Kirsten McKenzie, Robert Schweitzer · 3 citations
Social Sciences · #Education Systems and Policy #Higher Education Research Studies #Higher Education and Employability

paper · doi:10.1080/07924360120043621

openalex publication_date 2001/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

With the increasing diversity of students attending university, there is a growing interest in the factors predicting academic performance. This study is a prospective investigation of the academic, psychosocial, cognitive, and demographic predictors of academic performance of first year Australian university students. Questionnaires were distributed to 197 first year students 4 to 8 weeks prior to the end of semester exams and overall grade point averages were collected at semester completion. Previous academic performance was identified as the most significant predictor of university performance. Integration into university, self efficacy, and employment responsibilities were also predictive of university grades. Identifying the factors that influence academic performance can improve the targeting of interventions and support services for students at risk of academic problems.

Citations

• The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories
• Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent Research

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