Factors influencing on academic success of top rated entrance exams: Grounded theory

This aim of the study was to determine the constituent elements and factors influencing on academic success of top rated entrance exam in term of a paradigm model. A qualitative research, grounded theory method based on Strauss and Corbin's approach and semi-structured interview were used for attaining this goal. Participants included 33 students among top rated entrance exam in different fields of study and degrees in 2016-2017, which were selected based on theoretical sampling method and saturation principle. Data analysis was done based on three approaches including open, axial and selective coding. Results of study indicated that the construct of academic success as the main category comprises from element of attaining the goals and some of elements comprising this case were “acceptance in famous university”, “attaining to higher scientific degree”, and “expertise in the field of study”. Some factors influencing on academic success included Teleological and Self-Beliefs as the casual conditions, family support and educational facilities as the contextual conditions, academic intelligence as the intervening conditions and perseverance and planning as the action/interaction strategies. The core category is Academic Success Motivation, which includes all influential casual, contextual and intervening factors on academic success, and the final answer to main question of research, that is influential factors on academic success.