STUDENTS EVALUATIONS OF EXAM ACHIEVEMENT AND UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCES

It is investigated whether final academic grades and the quality of st udent-perceived university environment are connected to students' eval uations of their own educational success. Is it true that oral examina tions resulting in higher grades are remembered in a more agreeable wa y? The data base was provided by a longitudinal study of 320 universit y graduates. Subjects were questioned about examination experiences an d about their opinion in having realized personal study goals. Measure s of student-perceived university environment were taken both while en rolled and after having passed the examination. It is shown that recei ving higher final grades does not necessarily result in a more agreeab ly experienced examination situation. Positive experiences were report ed when students perceived their teachers as being highly professional and interacting with students in a cooperative manner.