Determinants of College GPA: A Survey Perspective on Textbook Usage and Other Qualitative Factors

• In Event: Research: Textbooks and Online Teaching

Abstract

This study investigates factors impacting college GPA by using cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 453 students with majors in four different colleges at a Midwestern university. The primary focus of the paper is on the qualitative determinants of academic achievement. The statistical analysis indicates that students’ aptitude in the subject matter of their major, the likelihood of their use of the course textbook, their focus on improving their weaknesses while studying, and their levels of persistence all significantly positively influence their college GPA. However, the number of hours the students work for pay negatively affects their college GPA in a significant way. The number of contact hours with the instructor outside of class and the number of hours of tutoring received are negatively related to college GPA, because students struggling with course content tend to self-select into office hours and tutoring. The overall estimated relationships are significant and robust.

Authors

• Hamid Tabesh, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

• Dawn Hukai, University of Wisconsin-River Falls