The First Year Seminar as a Predictor of Academic Achievement and Persistence

Grades earned in a new First Year Seminar (FYS) course are good predictors of (a) academic achievement and (b) persistence into the second and even subsequent years. The seminar is a required , primarily academic, interdisciplinary course that provides academic and developmental experiences which facilitate a successful transition to college life. FYS grades are better predictors of both achievement and persistence than are high school rank and SAT scores. In this study SAT scores correlated weakly with high school rank and college GPA but not with FYS grades or persistence. FYS grades are a useful surrogate for many cognitive and noncognitive variables which may correlate with retention and which may be too difficult to obtain routinely. Students earning a C+ or less by mid-semester in FYS require closer attention or intervention to help reduce their relatively high risk of withdrawal.