Date
8-6-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Jeffrey Savage
Keywords
admission criteria, academic success, Doctor of Physical Therapy, GPA, self-efficacy, non-traditional program
Disciplines
Education | Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Amir, Mark, "Predictive Correlation Analysis Of Admissions Criteria To A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program And Graduation Success" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7320.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7320
Abstract
The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between admissions criteria and academic success in a non-traditional, weekend-format Doctor of Physical Therapy program known as Palisades Weekend University. This study contributes to the literature by exploring how cognitive and non-cognitive variables may predict student outcomes. The sample included 112 participants enrolled between 2016 and 2021 at a private university in New York. Data was collected using the General Self-Efficacy Scale via Google Forms, and archival admissions data was obtained from the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service. Logistic regression analysis assessed the predictive relationship between self-efficacy, undergraduate GPA, prerequisite GPA, verbal GRE scores, age, and gender, and the criterion variables of on-time graduation (within ten semesters) and first-attempt National Physical Therapy Exam pass rates. Results indicated statistical significance predictive relationships between the prerequisite GPA, age, and verbal GRE scores, but not self-efficacy. The study highlights the need to re-evaluate the weight placed on non-cognitive admissions criteria if programs want to expand admissions opportunities. Future research should include larger, multi-site samples, mixed-methods approaches, alternative domain-specific self-efficacy tools, and longitudinal designs.
