15 Jun 2021
Cambridge International has released new data from the soon-to-be published study, "College Outcomes and Subsequent Course Performance at Florida State University (FSU)", that shows students who enrolled in Cambridge programmes are more likely to succeed than their peers who didn't study with Cambridge.
The study evaluated student performance to determine if students receiving college credit (such as Cambridge International AS & A Level students) succeed in their subsequent courses and their overall college careers.
The data shows that the 4-year graduation rate for Cambridge students is much higher than students who enrolled at FSU with no credit via advanced high school programmes. Only 78 per cent of students enrolled at FSU with no credit via advanced high school programmes graduate within four years, whereas 90 per cent of Cambridge students who are enrolled graduate within four years.
In addition, a higher percentage of Cambridge students completed their bachelor's degrees in four years compared to peers who earned college credit via other advanced coursework programmes. Eighty-four per cent of Advanced Placement students enrolled at FSU graduate within four years and 83 per cent of International Baccalaureate students enrolled at FSU graduate within four years.
"This research indicates that the Cambridge curriculum does an excellent job of preparing high school students for post-secondary success," said John Barnhill, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Florida State University. "The interdisciplinary nature of the Cambridge curriculum provides students with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in college and in the work force."
Moreover, 98 per cent of Cambridge students achieved passes in their subsequent FSU courses (grades above a C or 2.0 GPA) compared to 91 per cent for the total cohort of FSU students. Cambridge students tended to achieve higher grades, specifically 73 per cent of Cambridge students receiving college credit achieved an A grade in their subsequent course while 49 per cent of all students earned an A. While the majority of students succeed in FSU subsequent courses regardless of their preparation, the data suggest that Cambridge students may be better prepared for high-level college achievement.
Most Florida high school graduates choose to study at public universities with the support of the state's Bright Futures Scholarship and robust policies that ensure students receive college credit for passing the Cambridge International AS & A Level exams. Florida high school students who earn the Cambridge AICE Diploma – a certificate that recognises strong performance across key subject areas (Math, Science, Languages, Arts and Humanities), plus 100 community service hours, regardless of ACT / SAT score – are automatically eligible to receive the Bright Futures (BF) Academic Scholars Award. This award provides tuition for four years at any public FL college or university.
Student performance must be periodically evaluated to determine if students receiving credit succeed in their subsequent courses and their overall college careers. These findings on student performance and outcomes for Cambridge students enrolled at Florida State University (FSU) came from a study designed by Cambridge International and Florida State University, expected to be published in late 2021/ early 2022.
Read a paper summarising key findings from the research.
Read the press release.
Learn more about Cambridge International in the USA at www.cambridgeinternational.org/usa
Students can find out how to apply to US universities with Cambridge qualifications on our recognition pages.