A 10-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE HOW CHANGE IS AFFECTED BY CURRICULUM, COMMUNITY, AND SCHOOL, AND BY THE STUDENTS' ABILITY, SEX, OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES, HOME LIFE, AND READING HABITS. IN 1961, A NATIONWIDE SAMPLE OF 32,000 CHILDREN IN GRADES 5, 7, 9, AND 11 TOOK A BATTERY OF TESTS. THERE HAVE BEEN PERIODIC RETESTINGS, TO BE COMPLETED IN 1969, JUST BEFORE THE ORIGINAL FIFTH-GRADERS FINISH HIGH SCHOOL. ALTHOUGH DESIGNED FOR PREDICTING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RANK, THE STUDY MAY WELL APPLY TO COLLEGE PERFORMANCE. EMERGING PATTERNS INDICATE THAT EACH KIND OF DISADVANTAGEMENT HAS ITS OWN DISTINCT EFFECT. CERTAIN SETTINGS SO FRUSTRATE THE INTELLECT THAT THE STUDENT CANNOT SUCCEED IN COLLEGE. OTHERS, EQUALLY HOSTILE, TEACH HIM TO SURVIVE AND ADAPT TO COLLEGE IN A SUPERIOR WAY. OTHER FINDINGS CONCERN BIAS AND ITS DEFINITION, PREDICTIVE VALIDITY, THE SCARCITY OF DATA ON NEGRO-WHITE DIFFERENCES, THE FEW NEGROES IN INTEGRATED COLLEGES, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COCURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. BY EXTENSION, THESE FINDINGS APPLY TO COLLEGE ADMISSION WITH A SIMILAR LIKELIHOOD OF PREDICTIVE SUCCESS. THE NATURE OF THE CULTURE IN "CULTURAL DISADVANTAGEMENT" IS IN NEED OF ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH. THIS SPEECH WAS PRESENTED AT A SYMPOSIUM SPONSORED BY THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS PROGRAM OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (SYRACUSE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1965). (HH)