The quality of a student’s high school has a significant effect on student success in college, according to a study published in January in the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Although the study was conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, some University professors agree the findings apply to students in Louisiana as well.
The study focused on students admitted through Texas’ automatic admissions law. The “Top 10 Percent Rule” guarantees admission to all public universities to Texas students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class.
The study found high school characteristics have an effect on students’ college-level success, as measured by freshman GPA. These characteristics include campus socio-economic status, academic preparation for college and school resources, according to the study.
The study also found the effects of high school can affect student GPAs into junior year of college.
The study’s findings translate well to the University, according to statistics from the Office of Budget and Planning. The average high school GPA of incoming full-time freshmen for 2013-14 was 3.45, said applications consultant Bernie Braun in an email. Those same students had an average GPA of 2.9 in the fall 2013 semester, nearly a letter grade difference.
Aaron Grocholski, instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, said freshmen in his classes exhibit huge differences depending on the quality of their science education in high school. He said some students rarely need to come to class and do very well, while others can be completely lost because they never ask questions.
Ultimately, work ethic and a willingness to talk to the professor if help is needed are the major factors he sees as influencing student success freshman year, Grocholski said.
Elecia Lathon, instructor in the School of Education, said she agrees high school quality is a significant factor in college success, but she said foundational education beginning with pre-school also plays a significant factor.
Lathon, who taught in various East Baton Rouge Parish schools, said she found schools with rigor and high expectations produced college-ready students. She said teachers in high school should instruct self-responsibility.
Lathon said in college, the majority of the responsibility for being successful in school is on the students, as opposed to high school, where the responsibility is relatively equivalent.
High schools and colleges should work together to better transition students from high school to college, Lathon said. She said K-12 education already has days when middle school students go through a typical day in high school to familiarize them.
University President F. King Alexander said he believes “the graduation rate starts in kindergarten.” He said some schools in Long Beach, Calif., where he was president of California State University, Long Beach, had a 38:1 average student to teacher ratio, which he said was detrimental to student learning.
The study, however, cited literature that found student to teacher ratios did not have a significant effect on freshman GPA.
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