Business school grading on both sides of the Atlantic

This study examines factors that influence academic performance in introductory finance and economics classes in Spain and compares results to those of similar classes in the United States. Unlike in the US, the better-performing students in Spain attend the earliest morning classes, and inadequate sleep does not always significantly associate with lower grades. The Spanish students closer to graduation outperform their less-experienced peers, but the US students delaying taking the introductory class until closer to graduation do not typically do better, or worse. The number of work hours per week outside the university negatively associates with academic performance for students in both the US and Spain. The students attending more classes in the US do better, though insignificant results along these lines are observed in Spain. The findings are relevant because they help to address student and university needs.