The effects of attendance and high school GPA on student performance in first-year undergraduate courses

• Published in: Cogent education Vol. 8; no. 1
• Main Authors: Al Hazaa, Khalifa, Abdel-Salam, Abdel-Salam G., Ismail, Radwa, Johnson, Chithira, Al-Tameemi, Rusol Adil Naji, Romanowski, Michael H., BenSaid, Ahmed, Rhouma, Mohamed Ben Haj, Elatawneh, Amal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Cogent 01.01.2021; Cogent OA; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic Failure; academic performance; Attendance; Correlation; Decision Making; Educational research; Foreign Countries; Grade Point Average; Group Lasso; high school GPA; High School Students; Higher Education; Mantel-Haenszel test; Secondary schools; Student Characteristics; Undergraduate Students; Withdrawal (Education); Qatar
• ISSN: 2331-186X; 2331-186X
• DOI: 10.1080/2331186X.2021.1956857

Research has established that class attendance and High School Grade Point Average (HSGPA) play a significant role in student academic success in higher education. The study uses census data and records of 969 undergraduate students at Qatar University to investigate the impact of HSGPA, attendance, and socio-demographic factors on academic performance in higher education in DFW courses (grades D, F, or withdrawal). Findings indicate that increased attendance decreases the likelihood of getting DFW, and there was a strong negative relationship between high-school performance and the probability of getting DFW. This study highlights the importance of class attendance in a four-year institution and that high school academic performance acts as a foundation for their performance in a higher educational institute. These findings open pathways for modifications of institutional policies governing institutional academic decisions.