RELIGION’S INVISIBLE PRESENCE: HOW RELIGIOUS COMMITMENTS SHAPE ADOLESCENTS’ ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS
Approximately one of every four students in U.S. public schools have strong conventional Christian commitments—they feel close to God, pray by themselves multiple times a day, see religion as deeply important in their lives, and regularly attend worship services. Scholars of education may be surprised to learn that students with such conventional Christian commitments have GPAs that are approximately half of a letter grade higher than students without such conventional Christian commitments.
Why is this the case? Based on longitudinal survey and interview data from two nationally representative studies, I show that adolescents with conventional Christian commitments are highly conscientious and agreeable. These dispositions are reinforced through Christian teachings and are very helpful for academic success.
But do the dispositions that help students with conventional Christian commitments get good grades in school continue to advantage them in higher education? I show that students with conventional Christian commitments have more years of educational attainment because they have strong grades that position them to get into college. However, they choose less selective colleges than they could get into because they prioritize life goals centered around altruism and family, not around careers. This is especially the case for women. Thus, the very dispositions that help students with conventional Christian commitments excel in secondary school don’t give them the same advantages in higher education.
Approximately one of every four students in U.S. public schools have strong conventional Christian commitments—they feel close to God, pray by themselves multiple times a day, see religion as deeply important in their lives, and regularly attend worship services. Scholars of education may be surprised to learn that students with such conventional Christian commitments have GPAs that are approximately half of a letter grade higher than students without such conventional Christian commitments.
Why is this the case? Based on longitudinal survey and interview data from two nationally representative studies, I show that adolescents with conventional Christian commitments are highly conscientious and agreeable. These dispositions are reinforced through Christian teachings and are very helpful for academic success.
But do the dispositions that help students with conventional Christian commitments get good grades in school continue to advantage them in higher education? I show that students with conventional Christian commitments have more years of educational attainment because they have strong grades that position them to get into college. However, they choose less selective colleges than they could get into because they prioritize life goals centered around altruism and family, not around careers. This is especially the case for women. Thus, the very dispositions that help students with conventional Christian commitments excel in secondary school don’t give them the same advantages in higher education.