Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

An investigation of the factors that may have an influence on student academic performance

The purpose of this study is to understand the post-secondary student population and the correlation between different student activities and GPA. As more students are required to work and engage in extracurricular activities, questions remain about how these activities affect performance in school. Previous research provides mixed findings on the activities that affect GPA. For example, research shows that longer commute times could make students feel overwhelmed, driving them to take more online classes, however, we still do not adequately understand this because studies show both positive and negative results. Thus, using a quantitative survey methodology sampling college students in the Southeastern U.S., we tested hypotheses regarding on/off campus life, extracurricular activities, mental health, employment status, and the relationship between working students and their supervisors. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis. Although data collection is ongoing, the results of this study have the potential to inform business practices around the policies and practices that organizations use while managing college student employees. Our results can also help college students understand the factors that facilitate or hinder college student performance. In sum, our study may help promote better performance in school and could potentially promote a more positive work environment.