Academic Achievement and Emotional Intelligence: Predicting the Successful Transition from High School to University

• Published in: Journal of the first-year experience & students in transition Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 67 - 78
• Main Authors: Parker, James D. A, Duffy, Jon M, Wood, Laura M, Bond, Barbara J, Hogan, Marjorie J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition 01-09-2005
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic Failure; Classes (Groups of Students); College Bound Students; College Freshmen; Emotional Development; Emotional Intelligence; Gender Differences; Grade Point Average; High School Seniors; High Schools; Mississippi; North Carolina; Prediction; Social Development; Success; West Virginia; North Carolina; West Virginia; Mississippi
• ISSN: 1542-3077

This study examined the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on the successful transition from high school to university. The short form of the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) was completed by 1,426 first-year students attending four different universities within the first week of classes (September). At the end of the academic year (May), the students' cumulative GPA was used to identify two groups of students: academically successful (i.e., GPA of 3.0 or better; n = 590) and academically unsuccessful (i.e., GPA of less than 2.0; n = 289) students. Results revealed that academically successful students had significantly higher levels of several different emotional and social competencies. These findings suggest that emotional intelligence plays an important role in the successful transition from high school to university. (Contains 2 tables and 2 notes.)