A study at Potchefstroom University (South Africa) over two academic years investigated changes in study skills and strategies during the first year of university study, and their relationship to academic achievement. Gains in scores on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, administered to 306 introductory chemistry students and 201…

A study of 90 first-year business students at the National University of Lesotho investigated predictors of academic success. Of 29 student characteristics or attributes considered, educational attainment at the secondary level, communication skills, understanding of introductory economics, introductory instruction in law and legal method, and…

A study of 543 South African university freshmen examined testing issues in relation to use of English as a first or second language. Results suggest multiple-choice tests yield higher grades than essay tests for both native and nonnative speakers, performance on essay questions varies depending on type of question, and open-ended tutorial…

Describes the status of women, blacks, and Hispanics in American higher education and the challenges they face in American institutions. Suggests that, because women and minorities serve as reference groups and role models, their success constitutes important feedback for other aspirants; thus, systematic and concerted efforts must be made to…

Investigated differential validity and prediction of first-year university grades of two cohorts of students from historically white and historically black schools in South Africa, and the contribution of variations in grading standards between university courses to this differential validity and prediction. Adjustment for differences in grading…

Investigated the long-term academic effects of a first-year foundation course designed to enhance the academic performance of university students. Found that third-year academic performance is not simply a function of initial language and mathematics competence levels; those who improved performance in the foundation course tended to perform well…

Emotional Intelligence profiles completed by post-graduate students provided some indication that high responses at the "optimal" and "proficient" levels of most of the scales seem to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful students. (EV)

The purpose of this article is to identify factors that distinguish between Achievers and At Risk Students in Accounting 1A, and to explore how qualitative and quantitative research methods complement each other. Differences between the two groups were explored from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, focusing on study habits,…

This article presents the results of a recent investigation at the University of South Africa that attempted to identify the post-enrolment factors that lecturers and students see as having important influences on students' success in undergraduate Business Studies courses. Data were gathered from students enrolled in all years of the BCom degree…

Universities and technikons have been struggling to meet the demands of growing numbers of students who enter higher education with limited skills. Higher Education literature abroad provides an exhaustive range of theory about the reasons for students leaving (cited in Strauss & Volkwein 2002), as well as proposals for positive intervention.…

Based on the results of Phase I of a reading skills project in 2000 ("SAJHE" 16(3) 2002), Phase II was undertaken to set up a reading intervention programme on a voluntary basis for students enrolled in a mathematics access module, to determine whether explicit attention given to reading would improve their reading skills and academic…