Malleable and Immutable Student Characteristics: Incoming Profiles and Experiences on Campus

Abstract

abstract:Our predictive models of student success provide evidence that students' incoming profiles do not define their destiny. We have found that the learning and developmental experiences that they have after enrollment are far more important in predicting persistence, academic achievement, and graduation. In contrast to immutable student demographic characteristics, we have found that malleable characteristics among students (such as academic habits of mind, sense of belonging, and future orientation) predict student success. Paying attention to students' development does not detract from their learning. In fact, promoting the highest levels of development among students seems to be what helps them reach high academic goals. Keywords: predictive modeling, student success, longitudinal, cohort study, malleable characteristics, learning and development