Prediction of College Achievement Using the Need Achievement Scale From the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the Edwards need achievement scale (n-Ach) for predicting achievement performance, as (a) a supplement to academic aptitude test, and (b) a predicator of over- and under-achievement. Subjects were 217 college students enrolled in five sections of a general introductory psychology course. A correlational analysis was carried out among the following measures: Edwards n-Ach score, American College Testing Program Examination (ACT) score, overall grade point average (GPA), psychological course grade, and derived measures of over- and under-achievement. From the results of the study, the following conclusions were drawn: a. Little support for the use of the Edwards n-Ach scale as a supplement to ability test scores in the prediction of academic performance was offered. b. The n-Ach scale was of little value in differentiating between over- and under-achievers. c. Further investigation is needed to evaluate a single course grade as an alternative to overall GPA as a suitable criterion of academic achievement.