Linking entering students survey data and freshman performance to improve advisement services

The paper seeks to examine the relationship between students' goals (i.e. motivations) on the Entering Student Survey administered to the incoming Freshman class, level of commitment toward finishing a degree and Freshman academic performance (i.e., learning). Its purpose is to assist advisement services to Engineering students at a large urban public university. As part of the Entering students survey, students are asked to rate the importance of goals in their decision to enroll. Student motivational theories maintain that there are two types of learning motivation: (1) intrinsic and (2) extrinsic. Intrinsically motivated learning is learning "for its own sake, for the enjoyment it provides, the learning it permits, or the feelings of accomplishment it evokes" (Lepper, 1998). Extrinsically motivated learning is learning "in order to obtain some reward or avoid some punishment external to the activity itself " (Lepper, 1998). This study deals with intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Freshman cumulative grade point averages for 1^st and 2^nd semester were used as the measures of academic performance. The data were collected for 456 Engineering students who participated in the Entering Student Surveys in Fall of 1999 and 2000. Since the Entering Students for the last three years have consistently ranked career oriented goals high, the research suggests that the extrinsically motivated goals are more likely related to a high level of commitment and successful Freshman academic performance. The implications of these findings will be relevant in the faculty advisement of students. The students will be better served in matching their goals and course selection, which will ultimately lead to improved learning.