The academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes

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dc.contributor.author Mahlangu, T.P. (Thoko)
dc.contributor.author Fraser, William John
dc.date.accessioned 2018-02-16T10:02:37Z
dc.date.available 2018-02-16T10:02:37Z
dc.date.issued 2017
dc.description.abstract This article reports on a study focusing on the academic experiences of top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes. The study investigated in particular the academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers from Mpumalanga, South Africa, at various universities. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data, making use of a convenience sample of (n = 14). Data was generated using a closed-ended questionnaire, students’ academic records and standardised individual interviews conducted with eleven students. The results indicate that academic excellence in the first year is influenced by self-discipline, self-motivation, interest in the course, self-confidence, academic preparedness, effort and the belief students have about themselves. The investigation revealed that, generally, top achievers’ academic performance in the first year denoted what Viljoen and Deacon (2013, 242) term ‘academic fit’. The findings of the study emphasise the significant influence of positive ‘compelling forces’ at universities that assist first-year students in adapting to the university environment. en_ZA
dc.description.department Science, Mathematics and Technology Education en_ZA
dc.description.librarian am2018 en_ZA
dc.description.uri http://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Mahlangu, T.P. & Fraser, W.J. 2017, 'The academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes', South African Journal of Higher Education, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 104-118. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 1011-3487 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 1753-5913 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.20853/31-1-812
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/64014
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher South African Journal of Higher Education en_ZA
dc.rights © 2017 South African Journal of Higher Education. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. en_ZA
dc.subject Academic performance en_ZA
dc.subject Top achievers en_ZA
dc.subject Experiences en_ZA
dc.subject Perceptions en_ZA
dc.subject First-year university en_ZA
dc.subject Attribution theory en_ZA
dc.subject Support structures en_ZA
dc.subject Academic experiences en_ZA
dc.title The academic experiences of Grade 12 top achievers in maintaining excellence in first-year university programmes en_ZA
dc.type Article en_ZA


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