A new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found quality of high school education may directly impact students’ academic success in college.
Using administrative data from the University of Texas at Austin, researchers looked at characteristics of high schools — socioeconomic status, academic preparation for college and school resources — and found these characteristics can predict students’ achievement through their junior year of college.
“We find that high school quality does influence student performance in college, regardless of the estimation strategy,” the study reports.
Study author Sandra Black was not available for comment on Tuesday.
Researchers estimated the grade point averages of two simulated identical students at the University of Texas — one from a high-performing school and the other from a low-performing school. For the student from the high-performing high school, the estimated freshman year GPA was 3.21. For the second student, the estimated GPA was 2.30.
Researchers conducted the study at the University of Texas at Austin specifically to explore the state’s automatic admission policy, which guarantees admission to the top 10 percent of students from public high schools.
The study was put forth in light of recent efforts by many states, including California, Texas and Oregon, to increase the admittance of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to public universities.
University Dean of Admission Gregory Roberts said the rigor of program in high school is “critical” in the University’s admissions decision.
“If a student does come from a weaker high school but has performed well and taken tough courses at that high school, we might give that student a chance while offering support services to ensure that they succeed here,” Roberts said in an email.
Roberts acknowledged the challenge students coming from high schools with fewer resources or lower quality instruction face, but said the admissions office does not strictly hold these issues against the student.
“Students often cannot control where they go to high school, but they do control what courses they take at their high school,” Roberts said. “[W]e find that those who do well at U.Va. have prepared themselves by taking top level academic courses, regardless of the strength of their high school.”
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