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Comparing GPAs of First-Time Students Based on Admissions Decision Date

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Title: Comparing GPAs of First-Time Students Based on Admissions Decision Date
Language: English
Authors: John M. Adkins
Source: Journal of Higher Education and Student Affairs. 2026 42(1):56-71.
Availability: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. Digital Commons Office, Zach S. Henderson Library, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458. e-mail: digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu; Web site: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gcpa/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Grade Point Average, College Enrollment, School Holding Power, College Admission, Time Factors (Learning), Academic Achievement, College Freshmen, Early Admission
ISSN: 3069-8227
Abstract: With the upcoming demographic shift known as the "enrollment cliff", higher education administrators are aiming to enroll and retain as many students as possible. With this increased focus on enrollment and retention, the following question was asked: Are students admitted late (two weeks prior to the start of the full term) less academically successful after their first full academic year than those admitted earlier? To address this research question, the first-time, full-term undergraduate cohorts for the fall of 2020, 2021, and 2022 were obtained from a public four-year institution in the southeastern U.S. The collected data included admissions decisions and registration dates, as well as fall-term, spring-term, and cumulative GPAs. The cohorts were separated into two groups, Early vs Late, based on the admissions decision date, with the two weeks prior to the start of the term as the splitting point. A random sample of 84 Early admit students was compared to 84 Late students. Using an independent samples t-test to analyze the GPAs of the two groups, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in GPAs between the groups. The mean GPA for the Early students was 2.93, while the Late students had a GPA of 2.24. This supports the assertion that students admitted late are less academically successful compared to those admitted on time.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508158
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Comparing GPAs of First-Time Students Based on Admissions Decision Date
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  Data: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. Digital Commons Office, Zach S. Henderson Library, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458. e-mail: digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu; Web site: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gcpa/
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  Data: With the upcoming demographic shift known as the "enrollment cliff", higher education administrators are aiming to enroll and retain as many students as possible. With this increased focus on enrollment and retention, the following question was asked: Are students admitted late (two weeks prior to the start of the full term) less academically successful after their first full academic year than those admitted earlier? To address this research question, the first-time, full-term undergraduate cohorts for the fall of 2020, 2021, and 2022 were obtained from a public four-year institution in the southeastern U.S. The collected data included admissions decisions and registration dates, as well as fall-term, spring-term, and cumulative GPAs. The cohorts were separated into two groups, Early vs Late, based on the admissions decision date, with the two weeks prior to the start of the term as the splitting point. A random sample of 84 Early admit students was compared to 84 Late students. Using an independent samples t-test to analyze the GPAs of the two groups, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference in GPAs between the groups. The mean GPA for the Early students was 2.93, while the Late students had a GPA of 2.24. This supports the assertion that students admitted late are less academically successful compared to those admitted on time.
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      – SubjectFull: Grade Point Average
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      – SubjectFull: College Enrollment
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      – SubjectFull: School Holding Power
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      – SubjectFull: College Admission
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      – SubjectFull: Time Factors (Learning)
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
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      – SubjectFull: Early Admission
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