PREDICTING FIRST-YEAR GRADE-POINT AVERAGE FOR STUDENTS IN MEDICAL-FACULTY

High school grade point average, entrance examination results from bio logy, chemistry, physics, and interview predictive value of academic a chievement was assessed using data collected on 113 first-year student s of the 3rd medical faculty in Prague. First, the assumption of incre mental validity of high school grade point average (mathematics, physi cs, biology) during four-year study and student evaluation on the basi s of entrance examination interview in addition to test of physics, bi ology, and chemistry, which are the criteria for admission, was tested . As a criterion the natural logarithm of first-year grade point avera ge weighted by number of failures to pass an exam was chosen. Regressi on model I., where mathematics, physics, biology grade point average w as one regressor, tests for biology, chemistry, physics the second one , and interview evaluation as the third independent variable accounted for 35 % of variance and the regressors contributed to the criterion explanation in the 3:2:3 ratio. In attempt to make the predictive mode l as parsimonious as possible a factor analysis result was used to sel ect the variables with the highest predictive potential. In model II., the grade point average from mathematics, evaluation of a text reprod uction, which was a part of the entrance examination interview, and te st of physics, was included into regression analysis as the predictors . Model explained 34 % of the criterion variance and the first two reg ressors accounted to the criterion variance equally, the last one quar ter more. Second, the predictive value of temperament traits was sough t using Cloninger Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The backwa rd regression analysis excluded all variables but NS, NS4 and RD3 and accounted only for 10 % of the criterion variance. The findings brough t support for the assumption of the high school grade point average, a nd entrance examination interview evaluation incremental validity, and indicated that academic success of students with proclivity to impuls ive and at the same time rigidly systematic behavior aligned with emot ional attachment might be adversary influenced.