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.

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A graduate attends Clark Atlanta University’s 2025 commencement ceremony Sunday, May 18, 2025, at Georgia State’s Convocation Center. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

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