Results from the MAP-Works Survey of First-year Undergraduates: Fall 2009 -- Executive Summary

Philip Batty, Office of Institutional Analysis

GVSU Participated in the MAP-Works program in the Fall semester of 2009. �MAP-Works is a student retention tool consisting of an online survey that triggers a customized student feedback report and diagnostic information for university advisors.� In principle, the survey collects indications of students� risk for dropping out of college at an early stage (3-4 weeks into the fall semester) that will allow students to change their trajectory with proper support.� Following is a summary of initial findings from the survey of first-year students.

Comparison to Other Institutions:� Comparisons are possible between GVSU students� response and those of students at other institutions that participated in the Fall 2009 MAP-Works. In general, GVSU students elicited higher ratings than peers on measures of academic preparedness, confidence, and diligence.� Our students also indicate less distress related to homesickness, and our commuter students were more satisfied with their living arrangements than commuters elsewhere.� These differences were small but statistically significant.

 

GVSU

Others

Self-Assessment: Communication Skills

5.06

4.98

Self-Assessment: Analytical Skills

5.29

5.10

Self-Assessment: Self-Discipline

5.76

5.71

Self-Assessment: Time Management

5.24

5.17

Self-Assessment: Health and Wellness

4.45

4.34

Commitment to Higher Education

6.88

6.82

Basic Academic Behaviors

6.05

6.00

Academic Self-Efficacy

5.23

5.17

Homesickness: Distressed (higher means less distress)

5.72

5.65

Off-Campus Living: Environment

6.20

5.97


GVSU students scored similarly to peers on measures of �advanced� academic behaviors, commitment to the institution, and overall satisfaction.� However, GVSU�s first-year students scored slightly but significantly below peers on several measures of social satisfaction and integration:

 

GVSU

Others

Peer Connections

5.50

5.55

On-Campus Living: Social Aspects

5.08

5.27

On-Campus Living: Environment

5.71

5.75

Social Integration

5.48

5.54


These results point to a need to address issues related to students social adjustment to college, while maintaining their strong emphasis on academic engagement and growth.

Predicting Academic Performance:� The MAP-Works survey data lend a considerable boost to our ability to identify students� risk for attrition or propensity for success.� Many of the questionnaire items are correlated strongly with fall grades, fall-to-winter retention, or both.� Furthermore, several of the MAP-Works variables serve to explain and predict grades and retention significantly better than the previously available data.� In particular, fall grades are related most strongly to performance on the �Basic Academic Behaviors�, and Academic Integration� scales.� Retention was strongly related to the �Commitment to the Institution� factor (which essentially asks students �Are you planning to come back?�) and the �Homesickness: Distressed� scale.�� Students� overall satisfaction is best predicted by their �Social Integration� and ��Commitment to the Institution�, followed by �On-Campus Liiving: Environment� and �Academic Integration�.

More detailed analysis is available at http://reports.ia.gvsu.edu/mapworks/firstyear_2009_report_020310.htm