This research study analyzes the relationships between the General Education/Core Requirement in undergraduate studies, the two educational psychology goals of learning and studying –the performance-based and the mastery-based goals and processes,– and obtaining graduate scholarships and teaching assistantships. Previous research in educational psychology and delimits to the scope of the present study are provided, with highlights on the differences between the two learning styles: the performance-oriented style prioritizes performing well in a given and specific task, while the mastery-oriented technique deems getting the “whole picture” and mastering not just one “line” but everything before it as essential. To highlight these differences, the study draws upon the example at Brigham Young University’s (BYU, Provo, Utah) University Core required American Heritage 100 course: the program compares mastery-oriented with the 19th time Oscar nominated artist Meryl Streep, while artist wanna-be Paris Hilton is likened to performance-oriented, interested mostly in gaining attention. These learning processes are then extended to the entire undergraduate curriculum, not just in one course, but with the 40 or so courses of most undergraduate degrees, where a mastery-oriented style of learning among the various General Education and major classes is prescribed, particularly if the end goal is to pursue graduate studies through scholarships and assistantships. Two campus academic activities at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (the Quality Enhancement Plan “Engaging Minds” and the “Gateway to Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies” conference) are assessed and discussed to highlight the importance of a blending of mastery-oriented and performance-oriented undergraduate education that needs to be implemented at the onset of students’ undergraduate studies.