According to the Journal of Educational Psychology and highlighted in an article in Inside Higher Ed, “New research suggests that SAT under- or over-predict first-year grade for hundreds of thousands of future college students.  So why does this happen?

• First, the SAT is a single indicator that alone is much less effective at predicting future success as opposed to when it is considered in concert with other factors like GPA, leadership activity, internships, employment, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.
• Second, the SAT is like the typical high school educational experience which is NOT like the typical college educational experience.  One is learn, memorize, and repeat while the later is learn, analyze, compile, expand, test, think critically, and so on.  Of course high school as pieces of these but in college, that’s all it’s about.
• Finally, college success is not determined solely by grades.  In fact, those who are engaged in the college and community outside of class and what is required in class, perform better academically even as they take on more demanding responsibilities.

Essentially, if you want to “predict” your future likelihood of college success, you need to change your habits in high school and become engaged in your personal development by…

• Doing things that interest you but which might not meet your “social” goals (i.e. attending a dance or going to a game),
• Expanding your cultural horizons by doing things that previously you might have resisted (attend a play, go to a museum, attend a rally, or go to an art festival and actually talk to the artists), and
• Engaging in “career planning” activities that include shadowing at an employer, taking multiple career assessments, doing internships, starting a company, or engaging in professional competitions (i.e. robotics, debate, and entrepreneurship).

In summary, your grades matter.  However, your motivation matters more!  Find your passion!  The only way to find your passion is through experiences that expand your horizons.  Hey, you never know.  You may end up like me and get paid to do what you love!

Good luck!

Steve

CEO & Founder, My College Max, Web Site: www.mycollegemax.com
CEO & Founder, The Center for Educational and Career Advancement, Inc., Web Site: www.stevenharveyceca.com   
Executive Director, The WNY Consortium of Higher Education, Web Site: www.wnycollegeconnection.com  

True leadership only exists if people follow when they have the freedom not to. James Collins