Why High School Grades Are Better Predictors of On-Time College Graduation Than Are Admissions Test Scores: The Roles of Self-Regulation and Cognitive Ability

• Published in: American educational research journal Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 2077 - 2115
• Main Authors: Galla, Brian M., Shulman, Elizabeth P., Plummer, Benjamin D., Gardner, Margo, Hutt, Stephen J., Goyer, J. Parker, D'Mello, Sidney K., Finn, Amy S., Duckworth, Angela L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publishing 01-12-2019; SAGE Publications; American Educational Research Association
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic Persistence; Bachelors Degrees; Cognitive Ability; College admissions; College Applicants; College Entrance Examinations; Educational Attainment; Emotional intelligence; Entrance examinations; Grades (Scholastic); High School Seniors; Predictive Validity; Predictor Variables; Scores; Secondary schools; Self Management; Time to Degree; report card grades; self-regulation; college admissions tests; cognitive ability; college graduation
• ISSN: 0002-8312; 1935-1011
• DOI: 10.3102/0002831219843292

Compared with admissions test scores, why are high school grades better at predicting college graduation? We argue that success in college requires not only cognitive ability but also self-regulatory competencies that are bette indexed by high school grades. In a national sample of 47,303 students who applied to college for the 2009/2010 academic year, Study 1 affirmed that high school grades out-predicted test scores for 4-year college graduation. In a convenience sample of 1,622 high school seniors in the Class of 2013, Study 2 revealed that the incremental predictive validity of high school grades for college graduation was explained by composite measures of self regulation, whereas the incremental predictive validity of test scores was explained by composite measures of cognitive ability.