DIFFERENCES IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND NON-EDUCATION STUDENTS AT HANOI METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON FIRST-SEMESTER DATA

Abstract

This study investigates differences in academic performance between students enrolled in education-related programs and those in non-education majors at Hanoi Metropolitan University during their first semester. The sample consists of 2,002 first-year students in the 2024–2025 academic year, including 765 students from education programs and 1,237 students from non-education fields. A quantitative approach was employed to compare the average academic results between the two groups. The findings indicate that education students achieved significantly higher average GPA scores (M = 3.2892, SD = 0.34409) compared to their non-education counterparts (M = 2.9728, SD = 0.41957), with the difference being statistically significant. Further analysis of score distribution and academic classification reveals that the proportion of students achieving excellent and very good grades is substantially higher in the education group, whereas the non-education group has a greater proportion of students in the average, weak, and poor categories. These results highlight distinct differences in academic foundation, motivation, and initial adaptability between the two student cohorts. The findings also underscore the need to revise and tailor academic support policies to meet the specific needs of each group.