A study explored the extent to which preexisting characteristics influenced a student's performance in class by examining students'"willingness to communicate,""conflict mode," and general personality traits. Sixty-five male and 160 female undergraduate students at an eastern university participated in the study. The sample represented the actual distribution of males and females in all sections of the introductory course in interpersonal communication. Students completed the Willingness to Communicate Scale, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, and Eysenck Psychoticism Questionnaire. Results indicated that psychoticism correlated negatively with final grades, and that both collaborating and compromising modes of conflict resolution correlated positively with final grades. (Two tables of data are included, and 16 references are attached.) (PRA)