When Small Words Foretell Academic Success: The Case of College Admissions Essays

Abstract The smallest and most commonly used words in English are pronouns, articles, and other function words. Almost invisible to the reader or writer, function words can reveal ways people think and approach topics. A computerized text analysis of over 50,000 college admissions essays from more than 25,000 entering students found a coherent dimension of language use based on eight standard function word categories. The dimension, which reflected the degree students used categorical versus dynamic language, was analyzed to track college grades over students' four years of college. Higher grades were associated with greater article and preposition use, indicating categorical language (i.e., references to complexly organized objects and concepts). Lower grades were associated with greater use of auxiliary verbs, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and negations, indicating more dynamic language (i.e., personal narratives). The links between the categorical-dynamic index (CDI) and academic performance hint at the cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions

When small words foretell academic success: the case of college admissions essays.

The smallest and most commonly used words in English are pronouns, articles, and other function words. Almost invisible to the reader or writer, function words can reveal ways people think and approach topics. A computerized text analysis of over 50,000 college admissions essays from more than 25,000 entering students found a coherent dimension of language use based on eight standard function word categories. The dimension, which reflected the degree students used categorical versus dynamic language, was analyzed to track college grades over students' four years of college. Higher grades were associated with greater article and preposition use, indicating categorical language (i.e., references to complexly organized objects and concepts). Lower grades were associated with greater use of auxiliary verbs, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and negations, indicating more dynamic language (i.e., personal narratives). The links between the categorical-dynamic index (CDI) and academic performance hint at the cognitive styles rewarded by higher education institutions

Function Word Pearson Correlation Matrix.

<p><i>Note</i>. Preps.  =  prepositions. P.Pron.  =  personal pronouns. I.Pron.  =  impersonal pronouns. Aux. verbs  =  auxiliary verbs. Conjunc.  =  conjunctions. Negat.  =  negations. All correlations are statistically significant, p<.01, 25, 973 <i>df</i>.</p><p>Function Word Pearson Correlation Matrix.</p

Usage rates of LIWC's Function Word Categories in the Admissions Corpus.

<p>Note: Rate of Use refers to the percentage of total words that each function word category was used over the entire sample.</p><p>Usage rates of LIWC's Function Word Categories in the Admissions Corpus.</p

Intercorrelations among Predictors of Academic Performance.

<p><i>Note</i>: All correlations are significant, p<.01. Mean college GPA is the mean grade point for students across all their years of college. When applying for admission, students must take either the SAT (originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACT (originally named the American College Test). Because the vast majority took the SAT, all ACT scores were converted to the SAT equivalence. Higher Categorical-Dynamic Index (CDI) scores indicate a more categorical thinking style. For sex, 1 =  male, 2 =  female. Parental education is based on the mean number of years of parents' education. High school percentage is scored such that 100% would be at the top of the class.</p><p>Intercorrelations among Predictors of Academic Performance.</p