This study investigates the interaction between student values and values relevant for certain courses. The objective is to show how disparities between the value systems of students successfully completing three high school courses and those perceived by students electing the courses are related to course selection and academic success. The three courses used are: Project Physics, Man-Made-World, and Humanities. A higher degree of similarity is found between the perceived value systems of tenth-grade-students electing a course and those held by eleventh-grade-students who have successfully completed the course, than with courses not elected. The high degree of similarity permits a determination of student values match scores, by comparing a student's perceived values system with the median values system of successful students in the elected course. The determination of student values match scores makes it possible to compare them with the academic scores that students obtain in the elected courses. It was found that a positive association exists between the degree of values match and academic grade obtained in the elected course. (Author/HM)