High School Grades Predict University Marks

If you’re a Grade 12 student, it’s probably about two weeks since you received your mid-term report and hopefully you’re on track to where you’ll like to be. In case you don’t already know this intuitively, your high school average is the best indicator of how well you’ll do in your undergraduate degree! Well this statement is not shocking to the average person. Why are all universities requesting your high school grades? But data from a study at the University of British Columbia, School of Nursing now provides the proof that there is a correlation between your high schools grades and university marks. The study focussed on nursing students who have to meet other admission requirements in addition to their high school average.

The study, published in a journal called Nurse Education Today, followed about 250 University of British Columbia nursing students from admission to graduation and found that previous academic achievement was the best, most reliable predictor of nursing course grades and graduation from the program.

The results of this study may not only lead to admission changes in the nursing program at the University of British Columbia, but also programs in other universities that require supplemental information from applicants or, at the very least, change the weight that your average is given or how much the other criteria are considered.

Read more here.

Depending on your mid-term report this study may be great or not-so-good news for you. Obviously, if you’re a strong student, then you have a very good probability of doing well academically in university and can now do your happy dance. All of the tangible and intangible variables that are a factor in your current academic success will follow you to university.

Sadly, if you’re a weaker student this is one additional stressor that you really don’t need at this time. But don’t give up. Like any study, there are exceptions and you can work hard to get better grades now knowing that it will not only pay off this year but in the future as well. Get all the help you can to change the path that you’re on. You can do it!