Relationship between High School and College Performance by Maryland Students. Student Outcome and Achievement Report.

Maryland State Commission on Higher Education, 16 Francis Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401; phone: 410-974.2971.

N

20

Administrators; Policymakers; Practitioners

Academic Achievement; College Bound Students; College Freshmen; College Outcomes Assessment; College Preparation; Evaluation Criteria; Grade Prediction; Grades (Scholastic); High School Graduates; High Schools; Higher Education; Performance; Performance Factors; Predictive Measurement; Predictor Variables; Regression (Statistics); Sex Differences; Socioeconomic Status; Student Characteristics; Student Evaluation; Tables (Data)

This study examined the relationship between students' academic performance in high school vis-a-vis their performance in the first year at college. The study analyzed data on students who graduated from Maryland high schools in the 1994-95 academic year and who were enrolled in 2- and 4-year Maryland public institutions or in one of 11 state-aided independent institutions. The study distinguished between students who did or did not complete a college preparatory curriculum in high school. Consistent with the previous year, the study found that core students performed better than non core students on every measure of college academic achievement. High school grade point average emerged as the single best predictor of first college math grade, first college English grade, and college grade point average. Other good predictors of first college math grade were the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) math score and whether a student was in honors calculus in high school. High school English and the SAT verbal score were good indicators of first college English grade. Demographic variables which were predictive of college performance were gender (women outperformed men) and father's educational level. (CH)

1997

ED409787