Noteworthy Findings
Academic progress since Pathfinders began.
Retention, GPA, ACT, and High School Core GPA
| Retention to Sophomore Year | Fall GPA | Percent Below 2.00 | ACT | High School Core GPA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline Year | 76% | 2.6 | 25% | 23.4 | 3.1 |
| 1998-2002 | 80% | 2.7 | 20% | 23.4 | 3.2 |
| 2003-2007 | 82% | 2.8 | 18% | 23.4 | 3.2 |
| 2008-2012 | 81% | 2.8 | 20% | 23.6 | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 80% | 2.8 | 20% | 23.9 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | 82% | 2.9 | 17% | 24.3 | 3.4 |
| 2015 | 80% | 2.8 | 17% | 24.0 | 3.3 |
| 2016 | 79% | 2.8 | 16% | 24.4 | 3.4 |
| 2017 | 80% | 2.8 | 15% | 24.6 | 3.4 |
| 2018 | 82% | 3.0 | 13% | 25.6 | 3.5 |
| 2019 | 86% | 3.0 | 12% | 26.1 | 3.5 |
Absences and Academic Outcomes 2009-2014
| Graduation Rate | Retention Rate | Fall Freshman GPA | ACT Average | High School GPA Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Absence Problem | 66% | 86% | 3.05 | 24.3 | 3.38 |
| Absence Problem | 25% | 56% | 1.80 | 22.8 | 3.02 |
At the end of the fall semester each year since Pathfinders began, freshmen are assigned to one of the four groups below based on their class attendance.
- Group 1 – Not reported to Pathfinders by midterm of fall semester, no classes with four or more absences in one or more classes on midterm grade report.
- Group 2 – Reported to Pathfinders by midterm of fall semester, no classes with four or more absences in one or more classes on midterm grade report.
- Group 3 – Reported to Pathfinders by midterm of fall semester, four or more absences in one or more classes on midterm grade report.
- Group 4 – Not reported to Pathfinders by midterm of fall semester, four or more absences in one or more classes on midterm grade report.
Absences and Freshman Year GPA 1998-2013
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year GPA | 3.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
| Retention to Sophomore Year | 89% | 80% | 60% | 70% |
| 6-Year Graduation Rate | 72% | 50% | 25% | 40% |
| ACT | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| High School Core GPA | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
Group 1 has always been the largest, about 85% of the freshman class in recent years. Group 2 and Group 3 are approximately the same size each year, but Group 2 has always been larger. Group 4 has always been the smallest group and has become non-existent with the use of scanners.
In 2015, two changes occurred at MSU that caused Pathfinders to change the criterion for an absence problem for a freshman. From 2015-2017 scanners were added to most classrooms holding 50 or more students. These scanners enabled attendance data to come to Pathfinders from large classes which in the past did not provide consistently accurate data. In addition, and during that same time period, the University switched from a mid-term grade report to a first progress report approximately 6 weeks into the semester and a second progress report about 12 weeks into the semester. Consequently, Pathfinders changed to using 6 or more total absences before the first progress report as an indicator of an attendance problem.
Since the implementation of Pathfinders, the academic performance has steadily increased. The table below displays these changes.
Absences and Freshman Fall Semester GPA 2019
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year GPA | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
| ACT | 25.7 | 24.4 | 24.9 |
| High School Core GPA | 3.59 | 3.36 | 3.27 |
