The effect of participation in extracurricular activities on academic achievement in science

The purpose ofthis study was to determine if a relationship exists between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement in high school. The study also attempted to discover if a relationship exists between the types of activities (athletic or nonathletic) and academic achievement in science. Finally, the study analyzed the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and academic achievement in college preparatory science classes. A survey was administered to a sample ofstudents in a high school in Southern California. A chisquared test was used to analyze data from all three areas ofresearch to determine if the relationship was significant. The results showed that there is a small but significant increase in student's grades in science who participate in extracurricular activities as compared to those students who do not participate in extracurricular activities. It was also found that the type of extracurricular activity (athletic or nonathletic) does not have an effect on the grades students received in science courses nor did participation in extracurricular activities increase the chances of academic achievement in college preparatory science courses. KEYWORDS: Academic Achievement, Extracurricular Activitie