Profile of a successful engineering student at a private, liberal arts university

Abstract

With shrinking engineering enrollments, programs are looking for ways of predicting and measuring student success. Profiling incoming and graduating students gives some insight as to what student information might be used as a predictor of success. Eventually, these identified qualities of a successful student might be used to prescreen potential students and to counsel high school students interested in an engineering career. A wide variety of factors are available for analysis using already existing University and Department databases. The first factor thought to measure student success is usually cumulative GPA however, that alone is not a sole predictor of success. Other data, such as SAT verbal and math scores, first semester GPA, high school graduation rank, high school extra curricular activities, concurrent employment, internships, math placement exams, socio-economic factors, gender and minority status, may also be indicators of student success. Preliminary data suggest involvement in student professional societies enhances graduation rates. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam indicates a minimum level of academic success on a national assessment tool. Comparisons are made between incoming freshman data and final graduating student data. Also, a comparison is made between the engineering student profile and that of a typical liberal arts incoming freshman.