Exactly how much does a student’s performance in high school affect his or her later chances of success?

According to a new report this week from GradNation, a collaboration between hundreds of educational organizations seeking to boost the US’s high school graduation rate, the answer is: exponentially.

Researchers from education consultancy Civic Enterprises and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education found that while 76% of high schoolers with an A average go on to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher within 10 years, that number drops to 50% for B-average students—and further plummets to 27% for C-average students, and 12% for D-average students.

For high schoolers with an F average, the figure is a mere 3%.

These huge discrepancies, the researchers note, are “worrisome barriers” to future generations of students because of the increasing importance of a bachelor’s degree in entering the workforce.

Read more about the factors contributing to America’s achievement gap at QZ.com