| The changing demographic composition of students challenges community college educators to identify variables which foster academic success. Investigated first was the relationship among three independent variables, self-efficacy, attitude, and motivation, for contributions to academic success (grade point average). Second, the researcher examined the possible differences in self-efficacy, motivation, attitude, and grade point average when students were grouped by the selected demographic variables of (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ethnicity, and (d) history of parental college education.; Students enrolled at a moderately sized, rural community college in the southern United States voluntarily participated in the study (n = 400). Of the three independent variables significantly contributing to the variability in grade point average, motivation accounted for almost 19% of this variability. When grouped by gender, female students scored significantly higher than male students on (a) grade point average, (b) motivation, and (c) attitude measures. Next, nontraditional students (25 years and older) exhibited significantly higher scores than traditional students (18–24 years) for (a) grade point average, (b) self-efficacy, (c) motivation, and (d) attitude. African American students scored significantly higher than Caucasian students for (a) self-efficacy, and (b) attitude, while Caucasian students had significantly higher grade point averages. Lastly, first generation students exhibited significantly higher (a) self-efficacy and (b) attitude scores than those students whose parents had attended college.; Based on these results, younger male students seemed in need of more assistance than others. They could benefit from interventions to improve their motivation, which appeared to explain the greatest amount of variance in grade point average. The more academically successful older students could mentor younger students. For African American students with higher motivation levels, but lower grade point averages, interventions addressing academic preparation could be beneficial. |
