Currently, students from low-income backgrounds are underrepresented at selective colleges and universities in the U.S. With the introduction of many programs aimed at increasing the numbers of these students at selective institutions, it is important to understand how the characteristics of an institution can affect educational outcomes. Using…

The relationship between college grade-point average as the dependent variable and selection predictor variables was evaluated in a sample of "specially admitted" Black female undergraduates to a predominantly White liberal arts college. Results showed the need to identify predictors other than high school rank and SAT-V or SAT-M scores.…

Entry-level characteristics of teacher candidates who satisfied higher program admissions standards were compared with those of candidates who did not. Those who met the standards scored higher on most, but not all, measures of achievement. The two groups expressed similar educational beliefs and levels of commitment to teaching. (Author/IAH)

Discusses the increasing presence of Asians in higher education, their domination of the very top of Scholastic Aptitude Test ranks, and why these circumstances may cause racial conservatives to rethink advocating race-blind college admissions. Asian dominance in admissions at the most prestigious universities in the United States and how some…

Attending academically selective schools is intended to have positive effects, but a growing body of theoretical and empirical research demonstrates that the effects are negative for academic self-concept. The big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE), based on social comparison theory, posits that equally able students will have lower academic…

When denied a position in favor of a minority with lower scores and grades, some White males complain that they have achieved these scores and grades through their own efforts. A variety of factors which influence scores and grades a person achieves are taken into consideration. The least of the factors is shown to be the person's effort. (JN)

Describes how Penn State University introduced significantly revised admission standards. Discusses past admission practices. Describes changes including the addition of honors courses in evaluation of the secondary school record, consideration of college enrollment capacity, and actions in area of minority student and out-of-state enrollment. (RC)

In the minds of most people, the best colleges are those that are the most selective. The purpose of this document is to discover if students at more selective institutions have or take greater advantage of learning opportunities. Two independent datasets were used to research this idea. The first is the National Study of Student Learning (NSSL),…

Most colleges and universities emphasize identifying smartness much more than developing smartness. This value is made explicit in the many influential rankings of colleges and universities, in which elitist schools who recruit students with high SAT scores, grade point averages, and class rankings are declared "better" than other…

As the Aimhigher programme is a targeted initiative, partnerships have to find ways of locating groups that are under-represented in higher education (HE) and selecting participants for interventions. If the selection criteria are not robust, resources will be misdirected, while overly narrow indicators can exclude legitimate participants and risk…

Magnet schools have been criticized for intensifying the concentration of disadvantaged, low-achieving students at neighborhood high schools. This article investigates the impact of academically selective magnet high schools on the average achievement of ninth graders enrolling in neighborhood high schools in a large urban school district. The…

Three issues in the controversy over special admissions programs to higher education are presented. It is argued (1) that academic achievement need not be the sole criterion for admissions; (2) that race and sex can serve as qualifications for admission; and (3) that there are moral grounds for special admissions. (JMF)

In Serbia there are four levels of education: pre-school (until 7 years of age); primary education consisting of eight grades (ages 7-14); secondary education lasting two, three or four years; and higher education lasting from three to six years. Primary education is compulsory for all children. It consists of two cycles, each lasting four years,…

This paper addresses the predictive value for performance in medical school of undergraduate grades, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), selectivity of the undergraduate institution, and transcript data. The performance data examined were basic science grades; clinical science grades; scores on National Board of Medical Examiners…

A sequential screening procedure has been proposed in Queensland, based on what is known in decision theory as a 'lexicographic ordering.' The concept is explained, and some of the associated assumptions, implications and shortcomings are examined. (Author/MLW)