Examines the impact of mandatory statewide implementation of increased standards with the enactment of Florida's Recognizing Achievement in Secondary Education Bill as evidenced by performance on standardized entry-level tests for community college students. Finds little improvement in academic preparation as measured by test scores. (DMM)

A study of 543 South African university freshmen examined testing issues in relation to use of English as a first or second language. Results suggest multiple-choice tests yield higher grades than essay tests for both native and nonnative speakers, performance on essay questions varies depending on type of question, and open-ended tutorial…

Schools embody a "symbolic order" communicated through school rituals and social and symbolic relationships. Schools possess a moral vision, a system of values and norms that they wish to develop in students. This paper compares the symbolic order of two independent schools, one a traditional college preparatory school (preschool-grade 12), the…

A study was undertaken at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to examine 4- and 5-year success rates for students who needed and completed college preparatory instruction (CPI) and compare them to rates for students not requiring such instruction. Students were deemed successful if they graduated or achieved a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or…

This paper suggests that community colleges receive undeserved criticism as institutions that contribute to students' decline in college motivation. Rather, many college-bound youths underestimate college demands due to open-admissions policies and the ready availability of remedial courses, and fail to prepare adequately for this educational…

This collection of papers reports the research done in the Department of Agricultural Education at the Ohio State University during the years 1986 to 1990. The studies, which provide information about rural schools and rural students; are as follows: (1) "Aspirations of Rural Secondary Students in Ohio" (J. David McCracken and Kerry S.…

This document comprises a report on the agreements reached at a symposium on early awareness of postsecondary education. Representatives from 30 education organizations discussed a national agenda for early awareness programs and explored opportunities for collaboration. Early awareness programs are broadly based efforts to introduce students in…

This paper examines factors in the very low college participation rate in certain south-central Pennsylvania counties, in order to develop strategies for increasing participation. The paper examines college participation through a series of interviews with elementary school students, recent high school graduates not attending college, school and…

A profile is provided of students at Miami-Dade Community College (M-DCC) who enrolled in at least one college preparatory course in fall 1989. The report covers the number of academically prepared students; their ethnic distribution, age, gender, and native language; the year they graduated from high school; their enrollment and matriculation…

In 1989, a study was conducted to explore career-vocational faculty members' perceptions of students and of elements which would improve articulation between secondary schools and community colleges. The study also involved surveys of community college chief executive officers (CEO's), high school principals, and Regional Occupational Programs and…

This paper reanalyzed existing transcript data from: (1) the Study of Academic Prediction and Growth (High School Class of 1969) ; and (2) the New Youth Cohort of the National Longitudinal Study of Labor Market Experience (High School Classes of 1975-1981) in terms of various measures of the quantity of schooling, and in relation to changes in…

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to specify and investigate the determinants of parental intention through data collected from 200 parents of youths aged fifteen years. Results showed that Greek parents guide their children to follow upper secondary education rather than technical education for a number of reasons but mainly: technical…

In recent years the American College Test (ACT) score decline has been largely due to the changed pool of test-takers if the limited data studied here have applicability to the national scene. Data from state testing programs and the National Assessment of Educational Progress were used to determine who takes the test and how well prepared they…

National survey file data on college freshmen aspiring to be lawyers were compared to all others in the classes entering college in 1969 and 1981. Students aspiring to be lawyers differed substantially from others in family background, academic preparation, college selectivity, college major, political orientation and interest, and goal…

Project GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) encourages disadvantaged youth to stay in school and prepare for college. To gather baseline information on incoming seventh-grade students' and parents' awareness of, interest in, and aspirations for students' postsecondary education, surveys were administered to…