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Differences Across GPA in Alcohol and Drug Use Among
CU-Boulder Undergraduates Spring 1998

One item on the College Alcohol Study survey asked students to report their Grade Point Average (GPA). The following tables present differences in responses to survey items across levels of GPA.

[Note: Due to the very small number of students (N=3) reporting a "D" GPA, scores in this category are not presented. Also, there is no way to determine causality from these data; in other words, we don’t know if drinking more causes students to have lower grades, or if students with lower grades tend to drink more.]

Summary of Differences Across GPA

1. Students with lower GPAs drink more often, more heavily, and are much more likely to binge when drinking. They also use cigarettes and marijuana at higher rates than high GPA students.
2. Students with higher GPAs are less likely to binge in either high school or college, while those with lower GPAs are more likely to have binged in both high school and college.
3. Some secondary consequences of alcohol use appear to increase as GPA decreases, such as doing something they regret or getting hurt or injured.
4. Students with lower GPAs are more likely to have been pushed, hit, or assaulted by another student.

   
						Grade Point Average   Trend with 
					     A        B        C       Lower GPA

 Total Number                               113      212       59        

Alcohol and Drug Consumption by 
Students -  % Who:
 Abstain                                    14%      10%       7%       
 Drank, but did not binge                   33%      31%      22%     
 Binged 1-2 times in the past two weeks     35%      20%      26%       
 Binged 3 or more times in past 2 weeks     18%      39%      45%    	+   

 Drank 10 or more times in past month       16%      40%      31%       
 Usually binge when drinking                29%      49%      56%      	+
 Drunk 3 or more times in the past month    30%      44%      46%      	+
 Drink to get drunk                         65%      73%      74%      	+
 Consider themselves problem drinkers        0%       0%       3%       
 Ever thought they had a drinking problem   11%      10%       7%      

 Drove after drinking in past month         34%      33%      29%       
 Drove after 5+ drinks in past month         6%      10%       9%       
 Rode with drunk/high driver past month     29%      31%      38%       +

 Smoked cigarettes in past month            29%      39%      46%      	+
 Used marijuana in past month               28%      34%      39%       +
 Used any drug past month (including
 MJ)                                        34%      36%      46%      

High School and College Binge Drinking 
Behavior - % Who:
 No binge in HS or college                  41%      31%      24%      	-
 Binge in college, not HS                   27%      20%      25%      
 Binged in HS, not college                   6%       8%       5%      
 Binged in HS and college                   26%      37%      44%      	+

  
    	         		             Grade Point Average   Trend with
					     A        B        C    Lower GPA

 Total Number                               113      212       59        

% of Students Reporting Drinking has 
Caused Them to:
 Have a hangover                            73%      78%      73%      
 Miss a class                               29%      51%      47%      
 Get behind in schoolwork                   23%      43%      37%      
 Do something they regret                   41%      44%      51%      	+
 Argue with friends                         23%      30%      27%      
 Engage in unplanned sex                    27%      35%      33%      
 Engage in unprotected sex                   7%      12%      14%      	+
 Damage property                             8%      17%      22%      
 Into trouble with police                    6%       7%      12%       
 Get hurt or injured                        12%      20%      28%       +
 Medical treatment for overdose              0%       0%       4%	+
 Had 5 or more alcohol-related problems     21%      34%      37%       +
  (excluding hangover but including
    drinking after driving)
     
% of Students who have Experienced Problems 
Due to Other Students’ Drinking:                                                 
 Been insulted/humiliated                   36%      38%      34%       
 Serious argument or quarrel                27%      30%      32%      
 Been pushed/hit/assaulted                  14%      17%      29%      	+
 Had property damaged                       19%      25%      25%      
 Had to ‘babysit’ drunk                     63%      62%      66%      
 Interrupted studying/sleep                 59%      63%      56%      
 Victim of unwanted advance                 33%      36%      31%      
 Victim of sexual assault/date rape          1%       3%       7%      

Alcohol Survey Index

Last revision 07/08/05