Socioeconomic and academic predictors of performance on the major field test in psychology for students at Tennessee State University

The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of performance on the MFT-P in order to gain a better understanding of obstacles to successful performance and to examine the appropriateness of the use of this test in evaluating learning gains by TSU students. Two factors of concern are the socioeconomic status (SES) and standardized achievement test performance of TSU students. Specifically, Pell Grant status and ACT scores will be used to examine the relationship between SES and standardized achievement test performance and MFT-P scores for TSU students. Prior research has shown that both low SES and low ACT scores can be indicators of low performance on outcome measures such as Major Field Tests (Barron, Tauer, & Elliot, 2002; Haveman & Wilson, 2007). Since TSU has high populations of both students with low ACT scores and students with low SES, this study does not look at how to change that fact, but instead seeks to understand possible consequences of these factors on performance outcomes that affect TSU's funding. The data analyzed in this study may have implications for identifying strategies for improving performance on the Major Field Test for Psychology or lead to reconsideration of the use of this test.