Is college success associated with high school performance?

Abstract

Traditional predictors of college success include high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores (e.g. House, 1998), However, students have many opportunities to develop academic and personal skills that may improve academic success in college that may not be reflected in these traditional measures. For example, students may complete advanced placement (AP) and/or post-secondary option (PSEO) courses. To date, there has been little study of the role of these types of courses in academic success. Further, academic success in college can be predicted by skills that students have gained through their experiences. For example, Meeker et. al. (1994) evaluated success in the psychology major in light of skills and traits. Lammers et. al (2001) found that students with better study skills have higher GPA?s than those with poorer study skills. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate non-traditional measures of academic behaviors and their relationship to success in college (i.e., college GPA). Predictor variables in the study were number of AP classes completed, number of PSEO classes completed, and measures of academic skill, including note-taking, time management, and study skills.