Higher Gaokao Scores, Better Academic Performance in College? -- A Comparative Study to Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities

Shengmin Pang

doi:10.54097/m91ssf17

Authors

Shengmin Pang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/m91ssf17

Keywords:

Undergraduates, Cognitive Abilities, Non-Cognitive Abilities, Academic Performance

Abstract

For a long time, much research has focused on the overall impact of candidates’ family background to college admission opportunities, as well as the analysis to mediating mechanisms such as educational expectations, cognitive abilities, and academic performance. However, it has overlooked the influence of individuals’ non-cognitive abilities on college academic performance. This study proposes a theoretical hypothesis that non-cognitive abilities play a decisive role in undergraduates’ academic performance under a loose management model. Using the baseline data from Beijing College Student Panel Survey and applying a fixed-effects model, the paper analyzes the respective impacts of undergraduates’ cognitive and non-cognitive abilities on their academic performance, as well as the relative magnitude of the impacts. The results show that while cognitive abilities can significantly improve undergraduates’ comprehensive academic performance, they have no effect on specialized course performance. In contrast, non-cognitive abilities have a significant impact on both undergraduates’ comprehensive academic performance e and specialized course performance, and their role is far more significant than that of cognitive abilities.

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