An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Distance From Campus And Gpa Of Commuter Students

Abstract

A variety of factors influence a student’s ability to succeed in college and complete a degree program. Students who live on-campus, at least during their freshman year, have been shown to be more likely to complete their degrees than are students who live off-campus. Students who are commuters may have more demands on their time and may have fewer opportunities to develop a strong commitment to their studies and to their university. It may be hypothesized that students who live farther away from a campus may find it more difficult to attend classes and to complete outside tasks required by their classes. In an initial test of this hypothesis, an examination of the relationship between a commuter student’s distance from campus and his/her overall grade point average is assessed. Results do not support this hypothesis. Possible reasons for this finding and directions for future research are discussed.