Grades or SAT Scores—Which is the Better Predictor of Doing Well in College?
Posted 13 Aug, 2007
What makes more of a difference—high school grades, or SAT scores?
As college admissions get more and more competitive, students feel an increasing pressure to outperform their peers in areas of academia, volunteer work, leadership, and of course the dreaded standardized tests.
The moment students see that SAT score, they can suddenly feel that four digit number will be defining their whole future. A SAT score that comes in even ten points below a student’s goal can seem like a crushing blow! Students worry their plans of college, career, and lifetime achievements will be derailed by that not-quite-perfect score.
With that in mind, I have a bit of good news—you may want to pass this on to your student, but maybe wait until after the test! Though SAT scores can affect which college a student gets into, it is not the best predictor of future academic success:
A recent study by Saul Geiser and Maria Veronica Santelices at UC Berkley reported that college grades had a higher correlation with high school grades than with SAT scores. The study explored the college grades and graduation rates of almost 80,000 students, and concluded that the high school/college grade relationship held true for each UC campus and discipline. That means that even if a good student doesn’t get a top score on the SAT, he or she will still likely be able to handle the rigors of homework and study in college.
So if your student is stressing out over his or her SAT score—or apprehensive about taking them for the first time—maybe this news will provide a bit of comfort and relief!
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
Related Posts
What makes more of a difference—high school grades, or SAT scores?
As college admissions get more and more competitive, students feel an increasing pressure to outperform their peers in areas of academia, volunteer work, leadership, and of course the dreaded standardized tests.
The moment students see that SAT score, they can suddenly feel that four digit number will be defining their whole future. A SAT score that comes in even ten points below a student’s goal can seem like a crushing blow! Students worry their plans of college, career, and lifetime achievements will be derailed by that not-quite-perfect score.
With that in mind, I have a bit of good news—you may want to pass this on to your student, but maybe wait until after the test! Though SAT scores can affect which college a student gets into, it is not the best predictor of future academic success:
A recent study by Saul Geiser and Maria Veronica Santelices at UC Berkley reported that college grades had a higher correlation with high school grades than with SAT scores. The study explored the college grades and graduation rates of almost 80,000 students, and concluded that the high school/college grade relationship held true for each UC campus and discipline. That means that even if a good student doesn’t get a top score on the SAT, he or she will still likely be able to handle the rigors of homework and study in college.
So if your student is stressing out over his or her SAT score—or apprehensive about taking them for the first time—maybe this news will provide a bit of comfort and relief!
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
Leave a Reply