ComSTEM

Scholarships
The McNeese State University Academic Excellence Reward Program

Academic Excellence Reward Formula Example

This is an example of how the Academic Excellence Reward Formula may be be used to calculate the total number of points earned by a student.

The principle associated with each factor is presented along with a sample calculation. You will be required to present documentation in your portfolio that shows that you enrolled in and completed the courses that you indicate, likewise documentation that you participated in the activities that you list in the portfolio will be required.

FACTOR 1. Principle: Students who earn a high Grade Point Average (GPA) tend to stay in college longer and to gradate more frequently than those who do not earn a high GPA. Students who enroll in and complete a full load each semester tend to complete their degree requirements within a reasonable time and those who do not take a full load do not.

If you complete 14 credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.2, your score on Factor 1 will be 3.2/4 x 14/15 x weighting factor (w.f.) for Item 1 (25), or (0.8 x 0.93 x 25) = 18.6.

FACTOR 2. Principle: Students who enroll in and complete courses in their major field of study and do well in those major courses tend to have a successful graduation in terms of length of time required to complete a degree and either securing an advanced degree or having a successful experience in seeking their first post-graduation job.

If you enroll in three courses in your major and withdraw from one of those, and if your grade point average in the two remaining courses is 3.0, your score on Factor 2 would be 2/3 x 3.0/4.0 x w.f. for Item 2 (10) or (0.66 x 0.75 x 10) = 4.9.

FACTOR 3. Principle: Students who take courses outside of their major area seriously realizing that every grade in every course is important, and students who do not withdraw for courses in which they enroll tend to complete their degree requirements much more quickly than students who don't consider non-major classes to be important.

If you enroll in two non-STEM classes that are usable on your degree plan, do not withdraw from either of these courses, and earn an A in both classes, your score on Factor 3 would be 2/2 x 4.0/4.0 x w.f. for Item 3 (10) or (1 x 1 x 10) = 10

FACTOR 4. Principle: Students who study with and interact with other students tend to earn better grades than students who do all of their studying alone. Students who teach other students material from their classes tend to earn better grades than those students who keep to themselves.

If Com-STEM peer tutoring is available an average of 5 days each week and Com-STEM peer mentoring is available an average of 2 days each week and you attend tutoring an average of once a week and participate in peer mentoring once each week, you score on Factor 4 would be 2/7 x w.f. for Item 4 (10) or (0.29 x 10) = 2.9

FACTOR 5. Principle: Students who become engaged in intellectual pursuits outside of the confines of the classroom are more likely to have a successful college experience; whereas, those students whose only contacts with the intellectual aspects available on a college campus are confined to the classroom are less likely to have a successful college career.

If 30 Com-STEM sanctioned seminars are available during a semester (see the Com-STEM Coordinator for updated seminar lists during a semester) and you participate in 15, your score on Factor 5 will be 15/30 x w.f. for Item 5 (15) or (0.5 x 15) = 7.5

Thus far your hypothetical Academic Excellence Award score for the semester is

18.6 + 4.9 + 10.0 + 2.9 + 7.5 = 43.9 of a possible 70 points

FACTOR 6. Principle: Those students who become engaged with the total campus community by participating in the social and cultural activities available on a college campus tend to persist with their college career and finish an undergraduate degree while those who remain isolated from their fellow students and the faculty tend to depart.

If 10 Com-STEM sanctioned social and cultural events are available during a semester (see Com-STEM Coordinator for a updated list during a semester) and you participate in 7, your score for Factor 6 will be 7/10 x w.f. for Item 6 (5) or (0.7 x 5) = 3.5

FACTOR 7. Principle: Those students that are employed in student-aid positions on campus tend to graduate at rates higher than the completion rates of students who are employed in off-campus jobs.

If you are employed in a student-aid position on campus and your supervisor reports that you are a satisfactory employee with a positive work ethic, your score for Item 7 will be 1 x w.f. for Item 7 (5) or (1 x 5) = 5

FACTOR 8. Principle: Students who become personally acquainted with a faculty member or/and upper level undergraduates and graduate students during the college years, especially those who engage in independent research under the personal direction of a faculty member, enhance the probability that they will complete a degree.

If you participate in independent research under the direction of a faculty member and research mentor reports that you are a responsible student, your score on Factor 8 will be 1 x w.f. for Item 8 (10) or (1 x 10) = 10.

Factor 9. Principle: Students who become engaged with organizations dedicated to the advancement of their STEM major or related fields through local, state, regional, or national meetings or research conferences tend to persist in college and graduate at a higher rate than those students who do not become engaged with professional groups.

If you are offered a legitimate opportunity to attend and participate in two meetings of scientific or engineering societies or other professional groups during a semester and you do not accept either opportunity, your score on Factor 9 will be 0/2 x w.f. for Item 9 (10) or (0 x 10) = 0.

Factor 10.

Summation: A student who registers for and completes a full academic load that includes courses in their major, who earns a respectable GPA, and who becomes actively engaged in the intellectual, cultural, and professional aspects of college life will have a much greater probability of successfully completing their college career and receiving a baccalaureate degree than the student who does not do these things. Research into the factors that contribute to persistence in and completion of undergraduate college degrees support the above statement.

Assuming that you document the indicated activities described in your portfolio, your semester score considering all nine components of the Academic Excellence Reward Formula would be

18.6 + 4.9 + 10.0 + 2.9 + 7.5 + 3.5 + 5.0 + 10.0 + 0 = 62.3 of a possible 100 points.

The hypothetical case described above was put together to explain how the Com-STEM staff and faculty will make decisions concerning the financial rewards that are available to students through the Com-STEM program. Com-STEM is moving from the traditional scholarship system to a reward-based program in which a student must perform at a high level each semester in order to access financial support. The Com-STEM staff and faculty, the university administration, and the National Science Foundation are convinced of the proposition that if you become personally and actively engaged in the academic, cultural, and professional opportunities available on this campus, the total university, you will succeed in this important phase of your life. We are so convinced that we are willing to spend tax money to make it happen. The financial support will be distributed on a competitive basis. Those Com-STEM students scoring relatively high when compared to others in the program will receive support. Low achievers will not be supported. This means that financial support is available even if you did not enter McNeese with a scholarship.