A case study: do high school GPA/SAT scores predict the performance of freshmen engineering students?

The current study examines the performance of freshman students in a new engineering program at East Carolina University and compares it to their performance at high school. ECU´s engineering program started in Fall 2004 and it differs from many other engineering programs in three primary ways: (1) it emphasizes the application of engineering theory to the real world by engaging freshman students in hands-on engineering activities, (2) the mathematics and science content are integrated with the engineering courses, and (3) the students are working very closely with the engineering faculty and their mates in a team-based learning process (cohort system). The performance of the students in the engineering program is evaluated based on the details of their grades in engineering, and general education courses. Meanwhile, their GPA and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores is used to evaluate their performance in high school