Estimating the effects of partial withdrawals on GPA through time: Evidence from the University of Puerto Rico

Abstract

Although a direct relationship among partial withdrawals (Ws), GPA and grade inflation (GI) is suggested in prior research, this study demonstrates just the opposite. Evidence from a detailed panel-data comprising 34,426 sections offered in the UPR-Bayamón during 36 consecutive terms demonstrates that (1) traditional GI and the GI attributable to Ws run in opposite directions; (2) unobserved faculty heterogeneity, academic fields, as well as courses and academic environment characteristics exert strong and significant effects on both GPA and the GI attributable to Ws and (3) student evaluations of teaching are inversely and significantly related to Ws and to the GI attributable to them. JEL classifications: C23, I20, I21, Keywords: Partial withdrawals, Grade inflation, Student evaluations of teaching, Puerto Rico, Random- and fixed-effects models