Pre-and Post-Covid College Readiness - SAT, HSGPA, and FYGPA Changes by Subgroups - July 2025

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

Previous research studied how undergraduate performance changed before and after COVID-19, typically finding lower standardized test scores alongside rising high school and college grades. This study extends that work by analyzing subgroup differences, with a focus on gender, underrepresented minority students, and first-generation students. Using data from 22 four-year institutions, it examines changes in SAT outcomes and multiple GPA measures across the 2017 and 2021 entry cohorts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Data and Methods

Sample

Measures

Analyses

Pre-and Post-Covid College Readiness: SAT® , HSGPA, and FYGPA Changes by Subgroups July 2025 Paul Westrick, Jessica Marini, and Emily Shaw College Board Abstract Previous research has examined undergraduate student performance changes pre-and post-covid, overall and by institutional subgroupings. Standardized test scores tended to decline while high school and undergraduate grades increased. The current study expands upon this research by examining changes across student subgroups of interest, notably by gender, underrepresented minority students, and first-generation students. Background In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers studied the effects of disruptions to education practices and student learning. A number of studies reported that grades increased during and after the pandemic (Edwards et al. , 2023; Supriya et al. , 2021; Tillinghast et al. , 2023), which added to the existing literature on the rising trends seen in college grades (Achen & Courant, 2009; Adelman, 2004; Bar et al. , 2009; Bejar & Blew, 1981; Denning et al. , 2021; Edwards, 2000; Johnson, 2006; Juola, 1976, 1980; Kostal et al. , 2015; Kuh & Hu, 1999; Marini et al. , 2018; Rojstaczer & Healy, 2010, 2012; Rosovsky & Hartley, 2002; Sabot & Wakeman-Linn, 1991; Shaw & Patterson, 2010; Sonner, 2000; Suslow, 1976; Willingham et al. , 1990; Wilson, 1999; Yeritsyan et al. , 2022) . In addition to changes in college grades, researchers have found that ACT and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores declined following the pandemic (ACT, 2003; National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2024), while high school grade point average (HSGPA) trended higher (Goldhaber & Goodman, 2023; Sanchez & Moore, 2022) . A recent study using data from four-year undergraduate institutions found a general trend of decreasing SAT scores after the pandemic while HSGPA and first-year GPA (FYGPA) trended upward (Westrick et al. , 2024) . SAT score decreases were largest at less-selective institutions, and FYGPA increases were largest at more-selective institutions. In addition to the quantitative analyses, that study also included a qualitative component, a survey of university faculty members on the academic readiness of students and grading standards pre-and post-covid. Many faculty members believed that both student readiness and grading standards had declined. The current study is an extension of the Westrick et al. (2024) study. Whereas that study examined results for students overall and across institution types, the current study examines the trends for students disaggregated by gender, underrepresented minority (URM) students, and first-generation students. Our two research questions were as follows. 1. Are there differences in test score and high school and college grading trends for the following student subgroupings: gender, URM, and first-generation? 2. How might these trends differ for the student subgroups of interest across institution types? Data and Methods Sample: Data came from 22 four-year institutions with 46,440 students in the 2017 entering college cohort and 50,528 students in the 2021 entering college cohort, for a total sample of 96,968 students (57% female, 26% URM, and 20% first-generation) . Thirteen of the institutions were public, and nine were private. Half of the institutions admitted no more than 50% of applicants (more-selective), and half of the institutions admitted more than 50% of applicants (less-selective) . Measures: High school measures of academic readiness include SAT scores and self-reported HSGPA. SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math section scores range between 200 and 800, and SAT Total scores range between 400 and 1600. HSGPA is on a 0.00 to 4.33 scale. For college GPAs (0 .00 to 4 .00) , we used course grade data from the institutions to calculate FYGPA, STEM GPA, and 11 academic domain-specific GPAs to examine grading differences across domains. Des

FAQs

What did earlier studies generally find about performance pre- and post-COVID-19?

Earlier research reported declines in standardized test scores while high school and undergraduate grades increased during and after the pandemic.

Which student subgroups are analyzed in this study?

The study examines differences by gender, underrepresented minority (URM) status, and first-generation student status.

What data and cohorts are used to measure changes?

Data come from 22 four-year institutions comparing the 2017 entering college cohort with the 2021 entering college cohort.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum