Analysis of Non-Cognitive Factors and Academic Performance: The Case of Universidad del Rosario, 2018

This study documents the relationships between academic performance and a set of non-cognitive factors that may affect it. Following a socioecological approach to the problem, it was found that academic mindsets influence performance. Beliefs about brain plasticity—in particular, whether individuals think that mental abilities are fixed and do not change with effort—show a negative correlation with academic performance. On the other hand, healthy habits such as eating three meals a day are positively correlated with academic performance, while cigarette consumption shows a negative correlation. Consistent with the literature, attending classes is associated with better academic outcomes. Several avenues for student policy that could be strengthened based on these findings are discussed.