Are Work-Based Professional Skills Associated with Postsecondary Entrance and Persistence? Novel Evidence from the Cristo Rey Network

March 2026

Professional skills such as initiative, communication, and adaptability are thought to shape postsecondary success, but most evidence comes from self- or teacher-reported measures collected in school settings. This study uses employer ratings of students’ professional skills gathered through corporate internships undertaken by economically disadvantaged high school students. After controlling for high school GPA and ACT scores, these externally assessed professional skills do not predict whether students enroll in college or whether they enter two- versus four-year institutions. However, above median professional-skill ratings are associated with greater likelihood of earning a fouryear degree, especially within four years of college enrollment. Among students who enroll, this association persists even after controlling for selectivity of the institution of initial enrollment.

Education level

K-12 Education

Topics

Pathways to and Through Postsecondary