Determining Social Factors Predictive of Success in Computer Science Students

In this study, an instrument was designed to measure social factors which might predict student success (n=95). The instrument was administered to computer science undergraduates at a public research university in the Northeast USA. The instrument was a survey which asked a series of questions regarding different social factors such as living situation, experience in computer science prior to university, and use of university resources. The results were then compared to the students' self-reported department GPA with the goal of determining which factors predict student success. We find that students who: (1) live within 15 minutes from campus, (2) receive financial support from their family, or (3) were not responsible for physically or financially caring for their family are more likely to have a department GPA at or above a 3.0. There were other social factors examined that did not have significant correlations with GPA. These results contribute to the body of literature on how social factors impact student success and can guide interventions that may increase student success.