Correlation Analysis

Appendix A

Correlation Analysis

Correlation Analysis

Correlation analysis was performed between each success metric and the key demographic characteristics of the UT-Arlington TWO-STEP students. These correlation coefficients between the variables of interest were calculated to ascertain the simple univariate relationship between each success metric and demographic descriptor. In addition, the correlation coefficients provide insight into potential multi-collinearity issues that may arise from the subsequent ordinary least squares (OLS) and binary logistic regression analysis. Correlation analysis is conducted for the following set of variables.

Variable Definitions:

Variable / Definition
Age: / Age of student at time of collection
TCC: / Attended TarrantCountyCommunity College versus DallasCountyCommunity College
Pathway 1: / Interdisciplinary Studies Business Academic Pathway
Pathway 2: / Interdisciplinary Studies Health Sciences Academic Pathway
Pathway 3: / Interdisciplinary Studies Human Services Academic Pathway
Pathway 4: / Interdisciplinary Studies Public Services Academic Pathway
Pathway 5: / Interdisciplinary Studies Technology Academic Pathway
Female: / Female
Male: / Male
Asian: / Asian
Black: / Black
Hispanic: / Hispanic
Namerican: / Native American
Nresident: / Non Resident
Unknown: / Unknown
White: / White
UTAhours: / UT-Arlington Hours Completed
UTAGPA: / UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average
UTAStatus: / UT-Arlington Current Enrollment Status
BachDegree: / Recipient of Bachelors Degree at UT-Arlington as of Spring 2005
CCGPA: / Community College Grade Point Average
CCHours: / Community College Hours Completed
CCAssociate: / Recipient of a Community College Associates Degree
UTAGPADiff: / Difference Between Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and UT-Arlington Overall Student Body grade point average
UTAAge: / UT-Arlington Average grade point average Calculated by Age Group
UTAAgeDiff: / Difference between Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for all Students of that Age
UTAGen: / UT-Arlington Average grade point average Calculated by Gender Group
UTAGenDiff: / Difference between Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for all Students of that Gender
UTAEth: / UT-Arlington Average grade point average Calculated by Ethnic Group
UTAEthDiff: / Difference between Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for all Students of that Ethnicity
INTGPA: / UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors
INTDiff: / Difference between TWO-STEP Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors
INTAge: / UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors calculated by Age
INTAgeDiff: / Difference between TWO-STEP Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors calculated by Age
INTGen: / UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors calculated by Gender
INTGenDiff: / Difference between TWO-STEP Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors calculated by Gender
INTEth: / UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors Calculated by Gender
INTEthDiff: / Difference between TWO-STEP Student UT-Arlington Cumulative grade point average and average UT-Arlington grade point average for Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies Majors calculated by Ethnicity

Table 4.38 provides the correlation coefficients for the relationship between TWO-STEP student academic pathway selection and gender and ethnicity characteristics.

Table 4.38

Correlation Analysis Between Student Demographics and Pathway Choices of TWO-STEP Students
Pathway 1 / Pathway 2 / Pathway 3 / Pathway 4 / Pathway 5
Age / Coefficient / -0.05 / -0.01 / -0.02 / -0.08 / 0.10
Significance / 0.60 / 0.93 / 0.81 / 0.38 / 0.27
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Female / Coefficient / 0.12 / 0.28 / 0.08 / 0.03 / -0.33
Significance / 0.21 / 0.00 / *** / 0.37 / 0.71 / 0.00
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Asian / Coefficient / 0.17 / -0.02 / -0.07 / -0.09 / -0.07
Significance / 0.06 / * / 0.85 / 0.47 / 0.33 / 0.44
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Black / Coefficient / -0.13 / 0.00 / -0.09 / 0.05 / 0.14
Significance / 0.14 / 0.96 / 0.33 / 0.59 / 0.14
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Hispanic / Coefficient / -0.05 / -0.12 / 0.33 / 0.00 / -0.01
Significance / 0.57 / 0.19 / 0.00 / *** / 0.98 / 0.92
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Unknown / Coefficient / -0.06 / -0.03 / -0.02 / 0.32 / -0.09
Significance / 0.52 / 0.73 / 0.84 / 0.00 / *** / 0.34
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
White / Coefficient / 0.05 / 0.10 / -0.10 / -0.05 / -0.04
Significance / 0.62 / 0.29 / 0.27 / 0.62 / 0.68
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Significant at the 5% level.
* Significant at the 10% level.

A few conclusions can be drawn from the correlation coefficients provided. Female students are more closely associated with Pathway 2, the Health Sciences Academic Pathway, at the expense of Pathway 5, the Technology Academic Pathway. Hispanic students have a preference to the Human Services Academic Pathway relative to their other counterparts while the small group of Asian students prefers the Pathway 1, Business Academic Pathway relative to their peers.

Correlation analysis between academic pathway selection and student performance and success measures is provided in Table 4.39 below. Students arriving from TarrantCountyCommunity College prefer Pathway 1, the Business Academic Pathway relative to their counterparts at DallasCountyCommunity College who tend to gravitate towards the Technology Academic Pathway. Interestingly, a low community college grade point average is more closely associated with the selection of the Business Academic Pathway while a high community college grade point average is associated with the Technology Academic Pathway. Also, students that select the Technology Academic Pathway tend to have completed more hours at the community college prior to transfer. Students selecting Pathway 3, the Human Services Academic Pathway experience relatively higher graduation rates than do their peers in other academic pathways.

Table 4.39

Correlation Analysis Between Student Success Measures and Academic Pathway Selection of TWO-STEP Students
Pathway 1 / Pathway 2 / Pathway
3 / Pathway
4 / Pathway 5
TCC / Coefficient / 0.18 / 0.02 / -0.08 / 0.11 / -0.21
Significance / 0.04 / ** / 0.81 / 0.40 / 0.22 / 0.02
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
CCGPA / Coefficient / -0.25 / 0.00 / 0.06 / -0.07 / 0.24
Significance / 0.01 / *** / 1.00 / 0.52 / 0.45 / 0.01
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
CCHours / Coefficient / -0.11 / 0.07 / -0.10 / -0.13 / 0.16
Significance / 0.24 / 0.48 / 0.30 / 0.17 / 0.08
Observations / 119.00 / 119.00 / 119.00 / 119.00 / 119.00
CCAssociate / Coefficient / -0.10 / 0.06 / -0.04 / 0.06 / 0.04
Significance / 0.27 / 0.48 / 0.69 / 0.53 / 0.68
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
UTAGPA / Coefficient / -0.03 / -0.15 / 0.12 / -0.01 / 0.07
Significance / 0.79 / 0.14 / 0.24 / 0.92 / 0.48
Observations / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00
UTAhours / Coefficient / -0.10 / -0.07 / 0.12 / 0.06 / 0.06
Significance / 0.25 / 0.44 / 0.19 / 0.54 / 0.49
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
BachDegree / Coefficient / -0.16 / 0.03 / 0.25 / 0.04 / 0.01
Significance / 0.08 / * / 0.78 / 0.01 / *** / 0.69 / 0.90
Observations / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Significant at the 5% level.
* Significant at the 10% level.

Table 4.40 below contains the results for the correlation analysis between TWO-STEP student demographics

including age, gender and ethnicity, and student success as measured as progress toward the receipt of both the associate and bachelor degrees. As expected, increased age is associated with completion of a larger number of community college hours. A positive but not significant relationship exists between age and the achievement of an associate or bachelor degree.

Table 4.40

Correlation Analysis between TWO-STEP Student Progress Toward a Degree and Key Demographics
CCHours / CCAssociate / UTA hours / UTA Degree
Age / Coefficient / 0.20 / 0.12 / -0.10 / 0.09
Significance / 0.03 / ** / 0.21 / 0.30 / 0.31
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
TCC / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.26 / -0.18 / -0.01
Significance / 0.54 / 0.00 / *** / 0.05 / * / 0.92
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Female / Coefficient / -0.06 / 0.00 / 0.08 / 0.15
Significance / 0.51 / 0.96 / 0.39 / 0.10
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Asian / Coefficient / 0.03 / 0.03 / -0.06 / -0.07
Significance / 0.78 / 0.74 / 0.55 / 0.47
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Table 4.40 (Continued)
Correlation Analysis between TWO-STEP Student Progress Toward a Degree and Key Demographics
CCHours / CCAssociate / UTA hours / UTA Degree
Black / Coefficient / -0.04 / 0.10 / 0.15 / -0.06
Significance / 0.64 / 0.28 / 0.11 / 0.50
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
Hispanic / Coefficient / -0.02 / -0.11 / 0.17 / 0.09
Significance / 0.85 / 0.24 / 0.06 / * / 0.35
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
White / Coefficient / 0.03 / -0.03 / -0.17 / 0.04
Significance / 0.74 / 0.71 / 0.06 / * / 0.64
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Significant at the 5% level.
* Significant at the 10% level.

However, a negative relationship is observed between age and hours completed at UT-Arlington. Graduates from TarrantCountyCommunity College are more likely to obtain their associate degree than their counterparts from DallasCountyCommunity College, but have achieved fewer hours at UT-Arlington. Hispanic students and Females tend to have made more progress in hours completed at UT-Arlington than do White and Male students.

Table 4.41 below contains correlation analysis between student academic success measures as measured by grade point average and grade point average differentials standardized by age, gender, and ethnicity and student success measures addressing achievement of an associate or bachelor degree, and the completion of hours at both the community college level and UT-Arlington.

Table 4.41
Correlation Analysis Between Student Progress Toward a Degree and Student Academic Achievement
CCHours / CCAssociate / UTA Hours / Degree
UTAGPA / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.02 / 0.00 / 0.29
Significance / 0.55 / 0.82 / 0.99 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 103.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00
CCGPA / Coefficient / 0.12 / 0.09 / -0.06 / 0.13
Significance / 0.19 / 0.32 / 0.50 / 0.16
Observations / 119.00 / 120.00 / 120.00 / 120.00
UTAGPADiff / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.02 / 0.00 / 0.29
Significance / 0.55 / 0.82 / 0.99 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 103.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00
Table 4.41 (Continued)
Correlation Analysis Between Student Progress Toward a Degree and Student Academic Achievement
CCHours / CCAssociate / UTA Hours / Degree
UTAAgeDiff / Coefficient / 0.03 / 0.01 / 0.00 / 0.25
Significance / 0.79 / 0.88 / 0.98 / 0.01 / ***
Observations / 102.00 / 103.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
UTAGenDiff / Coefficient / 0.07 / 0.02 / 0.00 / 0.28
Significance / 0.50 / 0.83 / 0.98 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 103.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00
UTAEthDiff / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.05 / 0.03 / 0.28
Significance / 0.58 / 0.62 / 0.75 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 102.00 / 103.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
INTDiff / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.02 / 0.00 / 0.29
Significance / 0.55 / 0.82 / 0.99 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 103.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 104.00
INTAgeDiff / Coefficient / 0.05 / -0.05 / 0.08 / 0.29
Significance / 0.60 / 0.62 / 0.41 / 0.00 / ***
Observations / 99.00 / 100.00 / 100.00 / 100.00
Table 4.41 (Continued)
Correlation Analysis between student progress towards a degree and student academic achievement
CCHours / CCAssociate / UTA Hours / Degree
INTGenDiff / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.01 / 0.02 / 0.27
Significance / 0.56 / 0.92 / 0.84 / 0.01 / ***
Observations / 102.00 / 103.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
INTEthDiff / Coefficient / 0.06 / 0.05 / 0.04 / 0.27
Significance / 0.58 / 0.60 / 0.70 / 0.01 / ***
Observations / 102.00 / 103.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Signficant at the 5% level.
* Significant at the 10% level.

One clear result is that the receipt of a bachelors degree at UT-Arlington is strongly and positively associated with a TWO-STEP Students UT-Arlington cumulative grade point average. This relationship holds even when standardizing by age, gender, and ethnicity. Similarly, those TWO-STEP students that outperform their counterparts in the Interdisciplinary Studies program at UT-Arlington are more likely to have achieved a bachelor degree at UT-Arlington by the time of this analysis. This also holds for age, gender, and ethnicity adjustments.

Correlation analysis between TWO-STEP student demographics and student success as measured by both community college cumulative grade point average, UT-Arlington cumulative grade point average and UT-Arlington grade point average standardized by age, gender, and ethnicity are contained in Table 4.42 below. Similar to results regarding progress towards either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, increased age is positively associated with a higher cumulative grade point average at both the community college level and the university level. This relationship also holds when controlling for gender and ethnicity. Tarrant County College TWO-STEP students arriving at UT-Arlington tend to have a lower community college grade point average than their DallasCountyCommunity College counterparts transferring to UT-Arlington. However, once at UT-Arlington, TarrantCountyCommunity College students do better than their peers at DallasCountyCommunity College, though the differences are not statistically significant. Asian and African American students tend to have both lower community college grade point averages’ as well as UT-Arlington cumulative grade point averages’ even after controlling for age and gender while Caucasian students have higher cumulative grade point averages’ at both the community college and university level even after controlling for age and gender.

Table 4.42
Correlation Analysis Between TWO-STEP Student Achievement at Community College and UTA and Key TWO-STEP Student Demographics
CCGPA / UTA GPA / UTA GPA Diff / UTA Age Diff / UTA Gen Diff / UTA Eth Diff
Age / Coefficient / 0.20 / 0.18 / 0.18 / 0.02 / 0.18 / 0.15
Significance / 0.03 / ** / 0.07 / * / 0.07 / * / 0.84 / 0.07 / * / 0.13
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
TCC / Coefficient / -0.18 / 0.07 / 0.07 / 0.06 / 0.08 / 0.02
Significance / 0.05 / ** / 0.47 / 0.47 / 0.56 / 0.41 / 0.85
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Female / Coefficient / -0.05 / 0.05 / 0.05 / 0.07 / -0.04 / 0.05
Significance / 0.59 / 0.63 / 0.63 / 0.49 / 0.68 / 0.60
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Asian / Coefficient / -0.16 / -0.03 / -0.03 / -0.05 / -0.03 / -0.04
Significance / 0.08 / * / 0.79 / 0.79 / 0.64 / 0.74 / 0.66
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Black / Coefficient / -0.13 / -0.14 / -0.14 / -0.15 / -0.14 / 0.06
Significance / 0.14 / 0.16 / 0.16 / 0.13 / 0.15 / 0.57
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Hispanic / Coefficient / 0.00 / 0.00 / 0.00 / 0.05 / -0.01 / 0.04
Significance / 0.96 / 0.97 / 0.97 / 0.60 / 0.92 / 0.67
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Unknown / Coefficient / -0.10 / -0.06 / -0.06 / -0.06 / -0.05 / .
Significance / 0.30 / 0.56 / 0.56 / 0.54 / 0.64 / .
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
Table 4.42 (Continued)
Correlation Analysis Between TWO-STEP Student Achievement at Community College and UTA and Key TWO-STEP Student Demographics
CCGPA / UTA GPA / UTA GPA Diff / UTA Age Diff / UTA Gen Diff / UTA Eth Diff
White / Coefficient / 0.21 / 0.14 / 0.14 / 0.12 / 0.14 / -0.05
Significance / 0.02 / ** / 0.17 / 0.17 / 0.22 / 0.14 / 0.64
Observations / 120.00 / 104.00 / 104.00 / 103.00 / 104.00 / 103.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Significant at the 5% level.
* Significant at the 10% level.

Table 4.43 contains correlation analysis between TWO-STEP student demographics and their performance as measured by UT-Arlington cumulative grade point average relative to their peers that are Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies majors at UT-Arlington. The evidence indicates that within age categories TWO-STEP students outperformed their counterparts when controlling for both gender and ethnicity. TWO-STEP students arriving from TarrantCountyCommunity College do better than their peers from DallasCountyCommunity College in a head to head comparison to other Interdisciplinary Studies majors at UT-Arlington. African American students tend to under perform their counterparts on an age and gender adjusted basis. However, on an ethnic adjusted basis, Black TWO-STEP students do better than their Black Non TWO-STEP Interdisciplinary Studies peers. On the other hand, White students tend to perform worse then their ethnic adjusted peer group. Overall, the preponderance of evidence indicates that TWO-STEP students at UT-Arlington tend to outperform their counterparts in the Interdisciplinary Studies program when controlling for ethnicity. However, it is important to note that none of these relationships are statistically significant, which makes it difficult to draw any firm conclusions regarding the results.

Table 4.43

Correlation Analysis between TWO-STEP Student achievement relative to Non-TWO- STEP INTS Majors and Key TWO-STEP Student Demographics
INTDiff / INTAgeDiff / INTGenDiff / INTEthDiff
Age / Coefficient / 0.18 / 0.02 / 0.18 / 0.14
Significance / 0.07 / * / 0.86 / 0.07 / * / 0.14
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
TCC / Coefficient / 0.07 / 0.02 / 0.09 / 0.01
Significance / 0.47 / 0.83 / 0.35 / 0.96
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
Female / Coefficient / 0.05 / -0.03 / -0.06 / 0.06
Significance / 0.63 / 0.78 / 0.52 / 0.56
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
Asian / Coefficient / -0.03 / -0.05 / -0.01 / -0.01
Significance / 0.79 / 0.64 / 0.92 / 0.88
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00

Table 4.43 (Continued)

Correlation Analysis between TWO-STEP Student achievement

Relative to Non-TWO- STEP INTS Majors and Key TWO-STEP Student

Demographics

INTDiff / INTAgeDiff / INTGenDiff / INTEthDiff
Black / Coefficient / -0.14 / -0.14 / -0.15 / 0.08
Significance / 0.16 / 0.18 / 0.14 / 0.44
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
Hispanic / Coefficient / 0.00 / 0.04 / -0.02 / 0.06
Significance / 0.97 / 0.69 / 0.87 / 0.54
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
Unknown / Coefficient / -0.06 / -0.02 / -0.04 / .
Significance / 0.56 / 0.81 / 0.66 / .
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
White / Coefficient / 0.14 / 0.11 / 0.14 / -0.09
Significance / 0.17 / 0.27 / 0.16 / 0.36
Observations / 104.00 / 100.00 / 103.00 / 103.00
*** Significant at the 1% level.
** Significant at the 5% level.

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