Do students with dogs have higher grades? Seminole student has research project published

Andrea Woehr’s AP Research teacher encouraged students to select a topic they are passionate about

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A Central Florida student is one of 32 students globally to have her research project published in The Journal of Student Research.

Lyman High School graduate Andrea Woehr spent her senior year compiling research on whether students with dogs had higher GPAs.

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She said her AP Research teacher encouraged students to select a topic about which they are passionate, but that the topic also must be one not previously researched.

“You had to go through finding like 20-30 different sources and you have to make sure this research hasn’t already been conducted so that’s kind of an intimidating factor,” she said.

Woehr used a survey to compile data. Students who had dogs went on to answer further questions about pet ownership.

“How emotionally attached they are to the dog because I thought that as an emotional factor would impact more of their academics and grades and then their stress relief. If they spent more time with the dog did they feel they had less stress,” Woehr said.

Ultimately, Woehr said she found no correlation between dog ownership and GPA.

“But it was very consistent that those who did own a dog experienced greater stress relief so with that it was implied that ok they are managing their stress with all the academics that they’re taking,” she said.

Woehr is now studying biology at the University of Central Florida with plans to be a veterinarian. She said by the time she learned her work had been published, she kind of forgotten about having submitted the paper.

“I was actually very surprised! I was like, oh, and then I just happened to do a double-take and I was like this is really published kind of thing!”

The Journal of Student Research is an Academic, Multidisciplinary, and Faculty-reviewed Student Journal.


About the Author:

Julie Broughton's career in Central Florida has spanned more than 14 years, starting with News 6 as a meteorologist and now anchoring newscasts.

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