Universities often run intensive English “bridging” programs for international students who are academically ready, but still building English proficiency. In this project, we tracked **405 students** across a **28-week** English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program and asked a simple question: *Do the reading gains students make before they start university actually matter later on?* Using a **Random Forests** approach plus regression modeling, we found that **growth in silent reading fluency** (words per minute) was a standout predictor of later undergraduate **GPA**. Roughly, a **1 SD boost in reading-rate growth (~26 WPM)** predicted about a **0.21 increase in GPA**. This project was published in [Reading and Writing](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-024-10514-x).