FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) – The item given the most importance in granting academic scholarships isn’t the best predictor of college success.
Higher education officials said it is actually a student’s high school grade point average, not a standardized test score, that is the best predictor of how that student will perform in college.
Dr. Thomas Calhoun, vice president of enrollment management at the University of North Alabama, said research indicates a student’s performance in high school tracks better with that student’s college performance.
“You can overall say that in general a strong high school performance is a good predictor for success in college,” Calhoun said.
The high school grade point average is illustrative of a body of work, while a standardized test is a one-time snapshot of a student’s ability, he said.
Dr. Robert Koch is the director of UNA’s writing center and the new freshman experience, a portion of the UNA amped-up student success efforts. He said a lot of weight is put on one morning of a student’s academic experience.
“When you look at what the ACT is, it is a standardized test,” Koch said. “That is a one-time shot. For a student (who) is a good student, (but who) does not test well, it is a disaster.”
