This study examined the degree to which cognitive-motivational factors predicted academic performance in a sample of MidWestern American college students. Two hundred nineteen students from a liberal arts university in Northern Wisconsin completed self-report measures of hope, procrastination, and social/recreational activity during the fourth week of classes of the 1999-2000 academic year. At the end of the year, information was also obtained from their academic records regarding students' composite ACT scores, total credit hours attempted and completed in college, and year-end grade point averages. After statistically controlling for the impact of ACT scores, gender, and past academic experience, lower levels of trait procrastination and social/recreational activity at the beginning of the academic year contributed to overall end-of-year grade point average. Findings suggest that although academic ability has a significant impact of current academic performance, early interventions aimed at increasing time investment in academic endeavors may also facilitate improvements in academic performance.