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Differences Across GPA in Alcohol and Drug Use Among
CU-Boulder Undergraduates Spring 1999

("A" N=124, "B" N=194, "C" N=52)

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=2) 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 getting behind in schoolwork, and engaging in unplanned sex.
4. Students with lower GPAs are more likely to have been in a serious argument of quarrel.

Graphs:

• Binge Drinking Rates
• High-Risk Alcohol Consumption
• Drinking and Driving Rates
• Cigarette and Other Drug Use
• High School and College Binge Drinking Behaviors
• Secondary Effects of Alcohol Use
• More Secondary Effects of Alcohol Use

Results in tabular format

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*Does not include hangover, but does include driving after drinking
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Alcohol Survey Index

Last revision 07/08/05