Breaking: Trump signs his tax and spending cut bill at the White House July 4 picnic
Education
Education

A DNA test for college?

ajc.com
By Ty Tagami
July 25, 2018

DNA can help predict who will graduate from college, a new study says.

The new research published in Nature Genetics Monday looked at 1.1 million people and found genetic correlations with educational attainment.

New techniques are allowing researchers to tie tiny DNA differences to physical characteristics, such as height. Now, those tools, which allow researchers to study bigger groups, can also give insights into behavior, though a lead author of the study told the MIT Technology Review that the results are too unreliable to accurately predict individual outcomes.

The genetic differences explained just 11-13 percent of the variance in educational attainment, ensuring that the “nature-nurture” debate will not end anytime soon.

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Private colleges like Emory University could see a significant tax on their multibillion dollar endowments due to the passage of President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill. (Courtesy of Kay Hinton)

Credit: Kay Hinton

Trump’s big bill brings big changes for higher education

The bill eliminates Grad PLUS loans, a popular loan program for graduate students. And it puts a cap on Parent PLUS loans, limiting them to $65,000 per student.

Georgia schools could be impacted by federal funding delay

Georgia schools are waiting on $200 million in federal grants used to fund after school and other programs. The Trump administration says the money is under review.

Georgia student going to court after being expelled for warning of threat

The middle school student was expelled after he sent messages to friends about a video he'd seen with someone threatening to shoot up area schools.

The Latest

Private colleges like Emory University could see a significant tax on their multibillion dollar endowments due to the passage of President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill. (Courtesy of Kay Hinton)

Credit: Kay Hinton

Trump’s big bill brings big changes for higher education

Georgia schools could be impacted by federal funding delay

Georgia student going to court after being expelled for warning of threat

Featured

UPS driver Dan Partyka delivers an overnight package. As more people buy more goods online, the rapid and unrelenting expansion of e-commerce is causing real challenges for the Sandy-Springs based company. (Bob Andres/AJC 2022)

Credit: TNS

Amid UPS struggles, shipper makes first-ever plans to offer buyouts to drivers

UPS said in a written statement it is navigating “an unprecedented business landscape.”

Kneeling man impaled by giant straw? Towering mural leaves public mystified.

A towering mural on the side of the Connally Hotel has mystified Atlanta since 2011. Who is the kneeling man, and what's piercing him? Is it a beam of light? A drinking straw?

OPINION

I just graduated college. Will I be able to buy a house like my parents did?

A recent college grad asks: Am I going to be able to buy a home like my parents did less than 30 years ago?