College entrance exams and high school ranking are often poor predictors of student success in specific content areas. SI avoids this problem because it intervenes at the systemic, rather than individual, level to provide support where it can be predicted with a great deal of certainty that students will encounter difficulty. With respect to the identification of at risk students the point is not that WE know who they are, but rather, that THEY know who they are. If not, low test scores from course examinations provide students with adequate feedback for reappraising their proficiency in a particular discipline or course. This point is expanded upon below.
Most students view course work pragmatically.
Their goal, with some exceptions, is to achieve the highest possible grade and move toward the completion of their degree program. Many view difficult courses, first and foremost, as a hurdle to get over. To the extent they are able to achieve a desired grade without assistance, they are equally unlikely to commit themselves to the time requirements of additional study sessions. In other words, student motivation for participation in SI is linked to actual or perceived course performance. Field research provides support for the above point.