Exploration of the Variables That Define the Academic Success of Undergraduate Students in the First Course of Mathematics

Academic success in initial undergraduate mathematics courses is influenced by factors internal and external to the course itself. In this paper, a quantitative analysis is made of the performance of engineering students from the Tecnologico de Monterrey in a first-year mathematics course and its relationship with the students’ high school mathematics education, their prior participation in mathematics contests, and their study habits. Our results confirm that prior mathematical training, including experiences outside the classroom and study habits, are key components of a successful performance in a first course of college-level mathematics. The study highlights the importance of implementing measures to support students lacking prior knowledge of differential and integral calculus. Moreover, while tutoring sessions benefited some students, it was found that not all students require equal amounts of tutoring for the same content; in some cases tutoring was not necessary given the students’ academic background, while in some others tutoring sessions became a valuable resource that helped students obtain adequate academic results.