New survey finds students who accurately assessed their academic preparedness for college were more likely to use multiple sources of evidence
These findings have important implications for the college admission process. Colleges should consider the variability of grading standards and nonacademic factors influencing GPA as part of the admission process. Additionally, high schools can play an important role in helping students learn about different metrics to evaluate their academic readiness, as well as the meaning and limitation of each metric.
“The findings underscore how colleges should continue to use a holistic approach to admission, encompassing a broader range of academic achievements, rather than placing too much of an emphasis on GPA — especially as research is showing widespread grade inflation in the aftermath of the height of the pandemic,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “This research is also important to identifying ways that high schools can better support students in achieving a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of their readiness for higher education.”
The research surveyed high school students about how they would evaluate their own academic preparedness for college and whether they felt their grades accurately reflect how well they have mastered course content. Researchers compared the students’ responses with their ACT test results and found that students who accurately evaluated their academic preparedness were more likely to use multiple sources of evidence in addition to their GPA — such as difficulty of high school courses, grades in college credit-bearing courses taken in high school, and standardized test scores.
Additionally, students with A averages were more likely than students with B averages to strongly agree that their grades reflected their content mastery. This indicates differing interpretations of high school GPA and shows how students may not have a clear understanding about how high school GPA is calculated.
The research reinforces the need for a more equitable approach to college admission, particularly regarding high school GPAs. The research indicates that while students perceive their GPAs as fair when comparing peers from the same school, concerns about fairness emerge when comparing students from different educational contexts.
“By encouraging students to showcase their capabilities through various metrics, colleges can better assess readiness for higher education,” said Dr. Edgar I. Sanchez, a principal research scientist at ACT who co-authored both studies. “Additionally, these studies highlight the need to educate students about different measures of academic preparedness, so they can advocate for themselves effectively.”
Based on these findings, there are several actions high schools can take to better help students prepare academically. Schools can guide students to utilize various academic measures, encourage enrollment in college credit-bearing courses, and focus on developing strong study skills. By implementing these strategies, schools can better support students in achieving a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of their readiness for higher education.
The research is based on two new studies in ACT’s Student Voice Survey Series. The first surveyed students on their perspectives of how their GPA reflects their mastery of a subject. The second study surveyed students on what academic preparedness means to them and what evidence they use to evaluate their academic preparedness. The studies included a sample of nearly 2,000 students nationwide who were surveyed between September and November 2023.
Key findings:
High School Students’ Perceptions of High School GPA, by Edgar I Sanchez, Ph.D., Joyce Z. Schnieders, Ph.D., Becky L. Bobek, Ph.D.
- High school GPA was the most common metric students used by students to evaluate academic readiness.
- Nearly one-quarter (22%) of students with an A-level high school GPA strongly agreed that their grades reflected their content mastery, while only 5% of students with a B-level GPA expressed the same confidence.
- 83% of students used two or more metrics in their assessment of academic readiness.
- 36% of respondents utilized all four metrics examined: high school GPA, standardized test scores, difficulty level of high school courses, and grades in college credit-bearing courses taken in high school.
- Among students using two metrics, the most common combination was high school GPA and standardized test scores (35%). The second most common combination was the difficulty level of high school courses and grades in college credit-bearing courses (20%).
- When describing academic preparedness for college, many students highlighted that it meant being ready for the rigor and pace of college courses, along with adjusting to the teaching styles in college courses.
- A majority of students self-rated themselves as academically prepared for first-year college courses (believing they had at least a 50% chance of earning a B or higher). ACT compared students’ self-rated academic preparedness in first-year college courses with whether they met the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks using their ACT subject scores.
- For English, 97% of students rated themselves as academically prepared; of those students, 82% met ACT benchmark, but 15% did not.
- For math, 89% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 61% met ACT benchmark, but 28% did not.
- For reading, 95% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 64% met ACT benchmark, but 31% did not.
- For science, 87% of students self-rated academic preparedness; of those students, 55% met ACT benchmark, but 32% did not.
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