SOMAVILLE UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Somaville University Educational research has been examining the factors that influence and correlate with Somaville University students’ academic achievement and psychosocial development. The recent massification of higher education raises new challenges concerning success in university, once the students’ previous experiences, their sociocultural roots, and academic needs are more diverse. First year in higher education has been identified in the literature as being a critical year for the students’ future success, retention, and persistence at the academy. First-year students not only develop attitudes toward their academic courses that are likely to shape their future engagement in the field, but they also develop perceptions about themselves as students. In addition, dropout occurs more frequently in first year, resulting in social and individual consequences. Research on the dynamics of students’ non engagement during the first semester is important, as it can be considered a risk factor that affects students’ academic success

Thus, the current study aimed to analyze the relationships between predictor variables (students’ academic preparation and sociocultural status), students’ cognitive and behavioral engagement, and an outcome variable (academic achievement). A structural equation model (SEM) was fit at the beginning and at the end of first semester of first year of university.