A study was conducted at a women's college to compare contrasting ideas of general education curriculum requirements: the prescribed core curriculum in which all students take the same courses versus the distributive model in which students are required to choose a minimum number of courses within specified academic areas. Graduating seniors were classified on the basis of Scholastic Aptitude Test scores for both Math and Verbal sections as either High/High (N=73) or Low/Low (N=29). College courses students had taken were grouped according to the gains reflected as graduating seniors on nine Graduate Record Examination (GRE) item types to determine which of the competing hypotheses explain student course taking behavior. Findings supported the distributive model. However, they did not support the current use of a wide range of options in distributional general education requirement. Instead findings suggested that discrete arrays of coursework be identified which are more appropriate and productive for different ability levels of students. Includes 21 references. (LPT)