Pre-enrolment & post-enrolment predictors of academic success in Business Economics

Aim: To investigate the impact of pre enrolment (CAO points, socioeconomic factors) and post enrolment (attendance at lectures/tutorials, hours worked, hours study, etc) factors on academic success during the 2009-10 academic year for 380 students of business economics. The hypothesis that a particular dominant intelligence was correlated with academic success was also considered. Data and Methods: Academic success was subjective to the individual and was determined by comparing their expected grade to their actual grade in their end of year exam. Both qualitative and quantitative data were elucidated from questionnaire responses, and attendance was established from sign-in at lectures/tutorials. Examination results were extracted from the university's examination system. The dominant intelligence was determined from responses to an online multiple intelligences (MI) questionnaire based on Howard Gardner's Theory. Results: Multivariate regression was used to establish the relationship between the predictors and the outcomes as measured by exam results. The investigation of MI established that three main intelligences dominated; interpersonal, logical-mathematical, and musical. Interpersonal intelligence was found to have a positive influence on academic success. CAO points were generally found to be positively related to exam marks and academic success. Attendance at lectures was a significant predictor of academic success and a positively correlated with examination mark. Commerce students felt that lecture attendance was the significant factor, whereas BIS students attributed success to their own self-discipline and effort but attributed failure to quality of teaching. Conclusions: The findings provide a basis for helping lectures reflect on their expectations about students and to be better informed about methods that facilitate learning. They provide a source for helping students to reflect on their perceptions and expectations of university study so that they can gain more control over their learning, and therefore they can approach their studies in a way that will maximise success.