Student expectations for academic performance

Abstract

First-year student expectations play an important role in academic success and second-year persistence. This study examined the role of unmet academic expectations and persistence. Persisters did not differ from non-persisters in self-reported academic confidence. However, the groups were quite different in academic performance, with non-persisters earning a mean GPA of 2.59, compared to 3.32 for persisters. This study found that 62% of those who persisted performed at or above their academic expectations, while only 41% of non-persisters met or exceeded their GPA expectations. More than one-third of non-persisters fell short of their expectations by a full letter grade or more.