An Analysis of Increasing Grade Point Averages and the Effect of Work Experience Grades on Grade Point Averages at Santa Ana College.

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Grade Point Average; Grades (Scholastic); Grading; Two Year Colleges; Work Experience; Work Experience Programs; Work Study Programs

This study was undertaken to determine whether the grade point averages of students at Santa Ana College (SAC) have been increasing over time, and, with an increasing number of work-experience students, whether the work experience grade distribution has had any effect on the grade distribution of the entire college. Results indicate that SAC's overall student grade point average has been increasing during the past four years at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent through the spring term, 1974. The absolute increase since fall 1970 has been 8.9 percent. There has been an 18 percent average increase in "A's" given and a corresponding 18 percent average decrease in "C's" given during the past four years. The number of withdrawals has increased 13 percent on the average during this time period. The percentages of "B,""D," and "F" grades have remained fairly constant. This trend has skewed the college grade distribution to the left, away from the traditional "normal" distribution. Mean grade point average for all students has increased from 2.57 in fall 1970 to 2.80 in spring 1974. Work experience grades were found to have little effect on the rate of increase of the overall college grade point average. (Author/DC)

1975

ED101789