The national need for workers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is continuously growing. The National Science Foundation has called "for a focus on STEM education" in response to the deficit in the workforce (Hagedorn & Purnamasari, 2016, p. 146). Attrition rates of STEM majors are a concern with…

Objective: This study explores how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) relate to race/ethnicity and academic achievement among a sample of college students. Participants: Participants were students attending a large public university in the Southwest (n = 404). Methods: Online surveys captured ACE scores, demographics, and self-reported GPA.…

The research inquiry asked the question, what methods do athletic coaches employ to improve academic performance and skills of their high school student athletes? The research method chosen for this investigation, influenced by the teachings of Dewey and Freire, is constructivist grounded theory. This research method used intensive interviews with…

The issue of college student retention remains a critical concern in higher education. Institutions have begun to address this issue through the development of academic enhancement programs. These programs are designed to increase student success and prior research largely supports their efficacy. However, a paucity of research exists to…

Social and emotional (SE) skills are known to be linked with many important life outcomes, including academic performance, performance on standardized college entrance exams, and college enrollment. In this technical brief, the authors evaluated whether the five SE skills measured with the Mosaic™ by ACT® predict postsecondary enrollment and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected social, academic, and institutional variables on the acceptance of academic accommodations among undergraduate college students with disabilities. Specifically, this study was concerned with the predictable relationship between the social, academic, and institutional variables…

We analyze the impact of COVID-19 diagnoses on student grades, retention, and on-time graduation at a large public university. Even though COVID-19 rarely causes major health complications for a typical university student, diagnosis and quarantine may cause non-trivial disruptions to learning. Using event study analysis, we find that a COVID-19…

College graduates earn higher wages than noncollege graduates, but questions remain about the degree to which this wage difference is driven by learning in college or by the signal that the degree sends to employers. Based on a review of the literature, I propose that the value of a marketing degree is much less related to learning marketing than…

While there is a growing body of literature related to the benefits of participation in career and technical education (CTE) in high school, there remains a dearth of causal work in this area. Relying on administrative data from Baltimore City Public Schools, which uses a ranking system with a strict cut score to assign students into CTE-focused…

Social media networking has become an integral part of communication today, with widespread usage across various demographics. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of social media on student academic performance, recognizing its prevalence and influence in educational settings. A random sample of 1,692 students was selected to…

This study investigates the financial literacy of college student-athletes, a group facing unique financial challenges and opportunities, particularly with the growth of name, image, and likeness deals. Using data from the 2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this research compares the financial literacy levels of student-athletes to…

Students with disabilities (SWD) continue to experience poorer postschool employment outcomes compared to their nondisabled peers, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been associated with improved academic and employment outcomes for SWD, yet research on their…

This study examines the academic experiences of Black students in STEM at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), focusing on their transition to college, sense of belonging, faculty and peer interactions, and academic performance. The study seeks to understand the institutional and interpersonal barriers Black students face in a STEM environment.…

This study modeled the strain that academic demands (i.e., taking courses with demanding workloads) place on college students' academic performance by exploring how sources of student academic support and stress might explain this association. Student participants (N = 302) completed a survey about their most demanding class of the semester and…

The use of the 1-4 grading scale is gaining popularity as schools transition to competency-based education. However, independent interpretations and percentage conversions have led to general confusion and sometimes outright rejection of competency-based assessment. The first step to establish clear communication is to anchor the existing…