A study examined the relationship between Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) critical thinking test scores and the extent to which students met core general education course requirements at Northeast Missouri State University (NMSU). Data used in the study were collected in required sophomore examinations as part of an established assessment program at NMSU, using a stratified random assignment design controlling three levels of entering ability as measured by American College Testing (ACT) composite scores. Critical Thinking was the independent variable and the CAAP Critical Thinking Test (CT) developed by ACT was the measure of critical thinking employed. Nine core requirement areas were selected: Communications, Mathematics, Sciences, Philosophy, Literature, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, History and non-history Social Sciences. Patterns of critical thinking (CT) were investigated within each of these areas using a two-way unbalanced analysis of variance design and orthogonal polynomial contrasts. Significant trends in critical thinking scores were found for communications, science, and literature. In philosophy, a significant philosophy by ACT interaction effect was found. However, it should be noted that the relationships recognized were not necessarily cause and effect since certain content areas are more conducive to the development of critical thinking skills than others. Appended is NMSU's Liberal Arts and Science Core Curriculum. Includes 17 references. (LPT)