An evaluation of high school grade indices and academic aptitude test scores as predictive measures of scholastic success of Negro college students

The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate the high school academic record as a method of predicting academic success or failure of Negro freshman students in the first semester of college work at the Texas State University for Negroes; and (2) to determine how accurately academia success of these freshmen can be predicted from a knowledge of their scholastic aptitude as measured by the American Council on Education Psychological Examination (1948 Edition). A sample of 180 entering freshman students at the Texas State University for Negroes was secured and data relating to their high school academic records and scores on the American Council on Education Psychological Examination were obtained. Coefficients of correlation were computed between the variables for the purpose of determining the nature and degree of relationship existing between those variables. In two instances regression equations were derived for the purpose of evaluating high school grades and A.C.E. scores as predictive measures of success on the college level. The investigator concluded, as a result of the study, that neither the high school grade indices nor the A.C.E. test scores were very reliable as predictive measures of individual college grade averages. It was found that the high school academic record was more closely related to the college grade average than were any of the A.C.E. scores. Also the linguistic teat scores on the A.C.E. were more closely related to college grade indices than either the total scores or the quantitative scores. There was a closer degree of relationship between A.C.E. total scores and college grade indices than was the ease for A.C.E. total scores and high school grade indices. There was a slightly higher correlation between high school grades earned by large city school system graduates and their college grade averages than was the case for high school graduates regardless of size of school system.