Are our international undergraduatesstruggling academically?

Dulce Amor L. DoradoAssociate Director, International CenterDirector, International Students & Programs Office

Barry Fass-Holmes, Ph.D.Analytical Studies Coordinator, International Students & Programs Office

Today’s goals

International undergraduates:• Who are they?• Do they prefer specific majors over others?• Do they succeed academically in specific courses and/or

majors but not in others?• Do standardized tests predict their academic success?• What is their performance in SDCC English courses?• What is their performance in UC San Diego writing

courses?

Who are they?—non-immigrants; exclude PR, AM, AP, AS, OT, RF, and domestics

Do they prefer specific majors over others?—yes, but not only ones that emphasize mathematics

Are they struggling academically in general?—no

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FA07 WI08 SP08 FA08 WI09 SP09 FA09 WI10 SP10 FA10 WI11 SP11 FA11

9.29.08.79.810.410.99.78.112.510.47.79.111.3

PERC

ENTA

GE

OF

F-1

UNDE

RGRA

DS PERCENTAGE OF NEW AND CONTINUING F-1 UNDERGRADS WITH TERM GPA

Are they struggling academically in general?—no

FA12 GPAsFA12 GPAsCollege # GPA #

Do they succeed academically in specific courses and/or majors but not in others?—generally succeed

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1.7

33.3

13.3

6.710.0

3.3 1.7 1.7 0 03.3

0 0

18.3

0 0

6.7

THEATER

COUN

TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

ES

COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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2.1

14.112.0

16.2

7.04.9

2.15.6

1.4 0 0 0 0.7

23.9

4.9

0

4.9

VISUAL ARTS

COUN

TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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1.7

33.3

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6.710.0

3.3 1.7 1.7 0 03.3

0 0

18.3

0 0

6.7

THEATER

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TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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2.1

14.112.0

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7.04.9

2.15.6

1.4 0 0 0 0.7

23.9

4.9

0

4.9

VISUAL ARTS

COUN

TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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5.4

12.616.2

18.9

9.97.2

3.60 0

2.70 1.8

15.3

1.8 04.5

LINGUISTICS

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TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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29.8

11.9

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0 0 0 0 0

27.4

0 03.6

LITERATURE

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nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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0

5.4

12.616.2

18.9

9.97.2

3.60 0

2.70 1.8

15.3

1.8 04.5

LINGUISTICS

COUN

TS a

nd P

ERCE

NTAG

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COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

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0 0 0 0 0

27.4

0 03.6

LITERATURE

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A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

FA11 NFRS & TRAN FA11 academic marks

Do they succeed academically in some courses/majors and not in others?—generally succeed

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8.7

21.2

13.411.0

15.1

5.6 5.9 7.12.8

01.9

0

5.01.0 0 0 1.4

MATH

COUN

TS

PERC

ENTA

GES

COUNTSPERCENTAGES

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F P NP IP W

FA11 NFRS & TRAN FA11 academic marks

Do standardized tests predict their academic success?—only SAT math consistently predicts quarterly GPAs

Table 3. Significant Predictors of GPA from the Correlation Analyses

Cohort Predictor Quarter r df p

FA09 SAT math FA09 .27 48 .05

SAT math WI10 .30 48 .05

FA10 SAT math FA10 .23 111

What is their performance in SDCC English courses?—generally struggling; average grade ~D+ in FA11

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1.0

2.0

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FA07 FA08 FA09 FA10 FA11

1.67

2.272.67

2.03

3.00

AVER

AGE

GRA

DE

F1 NFRS STUDENTSʼ SDCC ENGLISH COURSESDURING THEIR FIRST QUARTER AT UC SAN DIEGO

1.0=D2.0=C3.0=B

0102030405060708090

100

FA07 FA08 FA09 FA10 FA11

42.0

10.55.6

20.6

0

PERC

ENTA

GE

OF

STUD

ENTS

FIRST QUARTER ATTENDING UC SAN DIEGO

F1 NFRS STUDENTS WITH D OR F IN SDCC ENGLISH COURSESDURING THEIR FIRST QUARTER AT UC SAN DIEGO

Data source: Data Warehouse (5-14-12)

What is their performance in UC San Diego writing courses?—average grade ~B- in FA11

05

101520253035404550

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20

1# F

1 UN

DERG

RADU

ATES

Argument and Analysis (MCWP)Critical Writing (MCWP)The Writing Course A (WCWP)

FA11 F1 UNDERGRADUATES TAKING FA11 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

Argument and Analysis (MCWP)Critical Writing (MCWP)The Writing Course A (WCWP)

FA11 F1 UNDERGRADUATES' AVERAGE GRADE IN FA11 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

A

B

C

D

F

AVER

AGE

GRA

DE

0102030405060708090

100

BELOW C ABOVE B+

% F

1 UN

DERG

RADU

ATES

Argument and Analysis (MCWP)Critical Writing (MCWP)The Writing Course A (WCWP)

FA11 F1 UNDERGRADUATES STRUGGLING OR EXCELLING

IN FA11 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

# NFRS # TRAN

2

8 8

15

10

Argument and Analysis (MCWP)Critical Writing (MCWP)The Writing Course A (WCWP)

FA11 F1 UNDERGRADUATES TAKING FA11 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

Data source: Data Warehouse 1-8-13

What is their performance in UC San Diego writing courses?—average grade ~B- in FA12

Data source: Data Warehouse 1-8-13

FA12 F1 UNDERGRADUATES TAKING FA12 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

# NFRS # TRAN

0

11

0

95

63

0 13

FA12 F1 UNDERGRADUATES TAKING FA12 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

0102030405060708090

100

12

94

63

3#F1

UND

ERG

RADU

ATES

FA12 F1 UNDERGRADUATES' AVERAGE GRADE IN FA12 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

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1.0

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4.0

2.82.72.72.6

AVER

AGE

GRA

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Critical Writing Exploring the Pre-Modern WorldPre-History & Ancient Foundatn The Writing Course A

FA12 F1 UNDERGRADUATES STRUGGLING OR EXCELLING

IN FA12 COLLEGE WRITING CLASSES

0102030405060708090

100

BELOW C ABOVE B+

% F

1 UN

DERG

RADU

ATES

Critical Writing Exploring the Pre-Modern WorldPre-History & Ancient FoundatnThe Writing Course A

Critical Writing Exploring the Pre-Modern WorldPre-History & Ancient FoundatnThe Writing Course A

ConclusionsUC San Diego’s international undergraduates, regardless of major…• generally succeeding in UC San Diego courses• generally struggling in SDCC English courses• generally succeeding in UC San Diego writing courses

Standardized tests used for admissions purposes do not consistently predict these students’ academic performance (except SAT math).

✔

✔

What is their performance in SDCC English courses?—generally struggling

Data source: Data Warehouse 5-14-12

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62.7

47.1

37.5

54.059.2

PERC

ENTA

GE

OF

STUD

ENTS

FIRST QUARTER ATTENDING UC SAN DIEGO

F1 NFRS STUDENTS IN SDCC ENGLISH COURSESDURING THEIR FIRST QUARTER AT UC SAN DIEGO

PERC

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OF

STUD

ENTS

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69.5

38.633.3

14.73.4

F1 NFRS STUDENTS IN SDCC ENGLISH COURSES WHO ARE CHINESE

Data source: Data Warehouse (5-14-12)

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FA07 FA08 FA09 FA10 FA11

62.7

47.1

37.5

54.059.2

PERC

ENTA

GE

OF

STUD

ENTS

FIRST QUARTER ATTENDING UC SAN DIEGO

F1 NFRS STUDENTS IN SDCC ENGLISH COURSESDURING THEIR FIRST QUARTER AT UC SAN DIEGO

PERC

ENTA

GE

OF

STUD

ENTS

0

10

20

30

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50

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100

FA07 FA08 FA09 FA10 FA11

69.5

38.633.3

14.73.4

F1 NFRS STUDENTS IN SDCC ENGLISH COURSES WHO ARE CHINESE

Data source: Data Warehouse (5-14-12)