This study investigated the question of whether a student's expectancy, values and negative affect influenced their deep information processing approach and achievement at the end of the first and second academic year. Five hundred and sixty-five first-year students completed a self-report questionnaire on three different occasions. The departmental administrations provided data on the students' achievement. Covariance analysis indicated that student's expectancy and values positively affected the total number of credits. However, the expected relationship through the deep information processing approach was not found. Even though the analysis showed a relationship between students' expectancy, values and the deep information processing approach, this approach did not affect academic achievement.