Role of Personality Traits in the Academic Performance of University Students

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the role of personality traits in the academic performance of undergraduate students. The participant sample consisted of N = 300 undergraduate students across 20 disciplines throughout the four-year undergraduate degree program at the university. A survey method was used to gather data from 300 participants on the variables of academic performance that were measured via the self-reported Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI-2) for personality assessment as developed by Soto and John (2017). A correlational analysis between Conscientiousness of the Big-Five Personality Inventory and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) found a significant positive correlation between Conscientiousness and CGPA only. No other personality trait correlated to CGPA in the present study. The conclusion drawn from the present study is that high achievers have high levels of conscientiousness.