The correlation between extracurricular activities and grade point average of middle school students

Abstract

This correlational study was an examination of students’ grade point averages in relation to participation in after school sponsored activities. The sample consisted of 111 students from three different small Midwestern rural eighth grade classes. Students’ G.P.A.s were recorded along with whether or not they participated in extracurricular activities, including athletics and extra academic opportunities. Student gender was also included in the analysis. The activities included football, basketball, golf, track, wrestling, volleyball, swing choir, jazz band, and forensics. A two-way Analysis of Variance was used to examine the relationship between gender, extracurricular participation, and their interaction with G.P.A. As expected, extracurricular participation showed a significant relationship with G.P.A. for both male and female students. The correlational evidence found showed students’ participation was associated with higher grade point averages. The study showed no causal evidence that students’ participation affected their grades point average. Possible reasons for the results are that student involvement in after school activities may have encouraged students to excel in academics, teacher bias toward participating students, parents’ influence on their sons or daughter’s participation, and students choosing to participate because of interest and achievement in the academics