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Science 19 February 1971:
Vol. 171. no. 3972, pp. 640 - 647
DOI: 10.1126/science.171.3972.640
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Articles

Predicting College Success of the Educationally Disadvantaged

Julian C. Stanley 1

1 The Departments of Education and Psychology, Center for Social Organization of Schools, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Test scores predict the college grades of educationally disadvantaged students at least as well as they do those of the advantaged. High school grades considerably augment the prediction for both groups. Regardless of socioeconomic level, students who are predicted to earn quite low grades within a particular college will tend to have academic difficulties if enrolled in it. There are social and educational justifications for admitting to a particular college some minority-group students who are marginally qualified for it academically, provided that the students are given adequate financial aid and effective remedial courses, tutoring, and coaching. However, if entrants are greatly underqualified academically, new curricula will be required. These may tend to segregate the specially admitted students from the regular student body, thereby diminishing the pacesetter role of the latter. Also, a degree from a special curriculum may not be viewed by employers, graduate schools, and alumni as equivalent to the other degrees awarded by the institution. Thus, admitting students who are seriously underqualified academically for the particular college seems likely to cause frustrations that may be difficult to resolve. Current demands by minority groups for "relevant" courses may reflect the academic difficulties many of their members encounter in present courses more than the educational unsuitability for them of such courses.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Profiles in Research.
A. Jensen (2006)
Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics 31, 327-352
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Tests and Decisions for the Handicapped: a Guide to Evaluation Under the New Laws.
E. B. Page (1980)
Journal of Special Education 14, 423-483
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Biographical and Educational Correlates of Graduate and Professional School Admissions Test Scores.
L. L. Baird (1976)
Educational and Psychological Measurement 36, 415-420
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Predicting Success in Graduate Education: Improved selection procedures are likely to come from better definitions of "success".
W. W. Willingham (1974)
Science 183, 273-278
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Test Bias.
T. A. Cleary and J. C. Stanley (1972)
Science 176, 113-114
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Test Bias Bibliography.
R. O. Fortna (1972)
Science 175, 706-707
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Race, Social Class, and IQ.
S. Scarr-Salapatek (1971)
Science 174, 1285-1295
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Book Reviews : Daniel N. Robinson (Ed.) Heredity and Achievement. New York: Oxford University Press, 1970. Pp. X + 441. $4.95 (paperback.
R. A. Gordon (1971)
Educational and Psychological Measurement 31, 793-799


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