Exploring the Relationship Between Dual Credit and Advanced Placement Enrollment on SAT Scores at a College and Career Magnet High School in North Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative record of study was to explore the relationship between performance on EBRW scores on the SAT and participation in dual credit, advanced placement, or on-level junior English coursework. In addition, the relationship between participation in a collegiate academy magnet program and SAT performance was also of interest as pertaining to enrollment in advanced placement or dual credit courses. A quantitative approach was selected for this study as it involved collecting quantitative data in the form of student PSAT EBRW and SAT EBRW scores obtained from the local school district. The participants in this study consisted of 474 students who were enrolled in a junior level English course at the research site and were administered the PSAT on October 15, 2015, and the SAT on March 2, 2016. The SAT EBRW scores were collected to determine whether the independent variable related to the dependent variable. PSAT EBRW scores were used as a control for student ELAR performance at the beginning of their junior year.

An in-depth ANCOVA data analysis and one-sample t-test were utilized to explain the quantitative results. The ANCOVA inferential statistical tests indicated that statistically significant differences existed between SAT scores of students based on English course enrollment, magnet program participation, and race/ethnicity, although effect size were small in all cases. Students enrolled in dual credit junior level English scores do not exceed the average performance of college-bound students as evidenced by the results of the one-sample t-test.