General Secondary Examination (GSE) and University Grade Point Average (GPA) as Predictors of Performance on University Proficiency Exam (UPE) for Undergraduate Students at the Jordanian Universities

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the prediction ability of
the General Secondary Exam (GSE) and university grade point
average (GPA) for the performance on University Proficiency Exam
(UPE). Subjects were 4865 students who took the UPE in 18 majors.
Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis revealed that the GSE is a
better predictor (p<0.05) of UPE scores in the following majors than
university GPA: electrical engineering, chemical engineering,
mechanical engineering, and accounting. But university GPA is a
better predictor than the GSE in the following majors: nursing,
library and information technology, law, fiqh, child education,
software engineering, class teachers, computer information system,
and business administration. Also the results showed that there are no
differences between males' and females' GSE results' ability to predict
UPE scores' except in computer information system, software
engineering and industrial engineering. Results indicate that there are
no differences between males' and females' GPA ability to predict
UPE scores except in: industrial engineering and law. The study
presented some suggestions for decision makers and researchers.