The relationship of Nelson-Denny Reading Test scores and an English course placement recommendation to academic success of Educational Opportunity Program students at the University of Washington was studied. The placement recommendation was based on a writing sample and test scores. The 207 freshmen students who entered in either 1976 or 1978 were identified as representing the following divisions: 20 American Indians, 67 Asians, 72 Blacks, 34 Chicanos, and 14 economically disadvantaged. When analyses were applied to all students regardless of division, the results suggest that neither the Nelson-Denny Reading Test nor the placement recommendation was an effective predictor of academic success, either generally or specifically for English courses. High school grade point average (GPA) was found to be a better predictor in general. When data were analyzed within divisions, the following findings emerged: performance was moderately well predicted by the test scores for the economically disadvantaged students, and somewhat less so for Black and American Indian students; Asian students exhibited nearly zero correlations between test scores and success measures, and the same correlations for Chicano students were often slightly negative. High school GPA predicted success as well as when both GPA and test scores were used as predictors, even within divisions. It is suggested that the Nelson-Denny Test may lack predictive validity for this study group, because it was too difficult for them. Low average test scores for the study sample provide evidence for this interpretation. (SW)