A theory that postulates that women and minorities have a claim against White males in saying that, due to past discrimination, these groups are entitled to special admission regardless of academic merit offers more discrimination to redress prior discrimination. (JN)

States the advent of national value-added datasets linking performance across key stages for the majority of pupils in England has enabled detailed analysis. Reports distinct difference in Key Stage 3 test levels for pupils on the borderline between grammar school and secondary modern school, even with prior attainment taken into account. (BT)

The number of students with learning disabilities enrolling in colleges and universities is increasing each year. Affirming effectiveness of resources and programs meant to support students' integration into the campus community involves multilayered research, because the subjects must be self-advocating to get the full advantages the resources…

In this essay, Rebecca Zwick confronts the controversy surrounding the use of standardized tests in college admissions. She examines the degree to which the SAT and its lesser known cousin, the ACT, limit access to college, particularly for racial and ethnic minorities, and considers two alternative admissions policies that do not involve tests:…

The issue of social segregation in schools has seen a recent resurgence of interest--in the US, UK and internationally--as the debate rages on about whether policies that expand families' freedom to choose amongst schools encourage divergence or convergence in the types of pupil different schools admit. Most attention has been focussed on…

Examines the progress of black participation in the Rhodes Scholarship program. The author discusses the earlier practice of exclusion blacks in the program and highlights the experiences of two black Rhodes scholars in the selection process. (GLR)

This article presents a case study of selection for graduate study at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in the Netherlands. The VU developed and implemented an assessment instrument for students with a vocational Bachelor degree wishing to pursue a Master's programme at the university. This instrument is new in the egalitarian higher education culture…

Research determines the relationship between scores received on a six-point selective instrument for admission and the academic achievement of health education majors. (JD)

The author was a member of the national advisory group designated to advise England's Secretary of State on results of the comparative study of selective and nonselective secondary schools. Here he reviews this study, published in 1980 as "Progress in Secondary Schools" and discusses some criticisms of it. (Editor/SJL)

Assessment of the academic self-concept of 32 physical therapy assistant students in a selective admission program revealed a positive correlation between grade point average in the core curriculum and their leadership and initiative scores. (Contains 20 references.) (SK)

Comments on the article by Marsh and Hau (see record 2003-06802-005), who tested the negative effects of attending academically selective schools; that is, a student will have lowered academic self-concept in a selective school than in a nonselective school, a big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE). The current author suggests that a major problem of…

This study examined pre-college variables from an admission-office perspective and the ability of these variables to predict college grade point average (GPA) for students specially admitted into an academic support program for at-risk students. The research was conducted at a private, highly-selective, research university in the southwest United…

This report examines characteristics of students who enroll in the 50 highly selective universities identified by "U.S. News and World Report" as "Tier 1 National Universities." It explores whether achievement, course-taking patterns, participation in extracurricular activities, having a computer at home, or type of high school…

Schools of education, whose responsibility is to add skills in teaching to a student's repertoire, cannot remedy inadequacies in basic academic training. The California State University system is developing initiatives regarding student selection and knowledge and practice of teaching in order to improve its teacher education programs. (MT)

Student-athletes were studied over 4 years at a highly selective liberal arts college and an Ivy League university. Students spending 10 or more hours per week in athletic activities had lower entering academic credentials and academic self-assessments than non-athletes, but the academic performance of athletes was not below what would be expected…