Читать книгу How to Succeed At University--Canadian Edition - Danton O'Day - Страница 21

As we all know, no matter what anyone tells you, grades matter. Historically, high school grades have been the primary determinant for acceptance to college or university. Although not currently required for admission to Canadian universities, standardized tests (e.g., ACT, SAT) are the second most important factor affecting whether you are acceptable; if you are planning on applying to a university in the United States, you may be required to submit SAT or ACT scores. There is evidence that standardized admissions test scores are becoming more important than high school grades, most likely because of grade inflation at many high schools. Of course, each college and university selects students in different ways. Emphasis may be put not only on grades and admission test scores but other factors as well such as high school awards, extracurricular activities and application essays, among others.

Did You Know?

The College Board miscalculated the SAT scores of 4,000 students who had taken the test in October 2005. Some of the scores were over 200 points below what they should have been (out of a total of 2,400)!²

However, since high school grades and standardized admission test scores are the primary way admissions are determined, there have been many studies attempting to find out if these scores give any true indication of success once the student is enrolled. Are high school grades and admission test scores good predictors of student success in college or university?

Recent research has verified earlier studies showing that a student’s high school grades give the most accurate assessment of his or her GPA at college or university.^3,4 While there is a relationship between high school success and postgraduate grades, typically students get lower grades at college and university than one would predict from their high school marks. In other words, high school grades overestimate later success.

SAT scores are a less accurate predictor of college or university GPA. It’s interesting that while women score lower on average on SAT than men, their SAT scores underestimate their success at college.⁵ It should also be noted that today’s colleges and universities are more ethnically diverse than ever before and while there are minor variations in results between ethnic groups and between students whose first languages differ from English, fundamentally the results are the same regardless of these aspects of student diversity. Each group brings richness to life after high school that is the heart of any college or university.

The next question that comes to mind is the following: “Is there any correlation between high school grades or admission test scores and graduation from college or university?” Research studies have shown that high grades in high school and high scores on standardized admission tests are both associated with a higher chance of postsecondary graduation.^3,6 Thus it seems that using high school grades and/or admission test scores is still one of the best ways for admissions officers to select students for entrance to their college or university.

Did You Know?

It typically takes four to five years for students to complete what is considered a four-year degree. However, that’s the average and it’s not unusual for students to take six or more years to graduate from a four-year program. As a result, it’s common for students to discuss their progress towards graduation in terms of the number of courses taken as opposed to specific years of study.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that neither high school grades nor admissions test scores are perfect predictors of post-high school success even though they can determine whether acceptance to college or university is granted. As I’ve mentioned before, many students who did comparatively poorly in high school thrive in the less structured learning environment provided at college or university. In some cases those who have excelled in high school can fail for similar reasons.