Glossary: Correlation

Correlation refers to the extent that two variables are related. If high scores on one variable are related to high scores on the second variable, the relationship is positive. The correlation coefficient ranges from -1.00 (perfect negative relationship) to +1.00 (perfect positive relationship). A zero correlation coefficient indicates no relationship between the two variables. Most correlations of test scores and measures of academic success are positive. The correlation coefficients reported in the tables indicate how well the various predictors (e.g., test scores) relate to performance in college. The higher the correlation, the better the prediction.