Correlational evidence suggests that high school GPA is better than admission test scores in predicting first-year college GPA, although test scores have incremental predictive validity. The usefulness of a selection variable in making admission decisions depends in part on its predictive validity, but also on institutions' selectivity and…

An argument based on the content fit among a college course, the American College Testing Program (ACT) Assessment tests, and students' high school course work is described to justify use of ACT scores and self-reported high school grades for placement of college freshmen in undergraduate remedial education. A utility-based approach to quantifying…

College freshmen's grade point averages at 260 colleges were predicted on the basis of multiple regression equations using the four previous classes separately to compute the equations. Predictor variables were four American College Test (ACT) scores and high school grades. Predictions remained accurate over the four-year period. (Author/CTM)

Whether adjustments to differential prediction observed among sex, racial/ethnic, or age subgroups in a college-level freshman class could be used to improve grade prediction accuracy for these subgroups in future freshman classes was studied. This study is based on the American College Testing program test scores, high school grades, and college…

Decision theory is a useful method for assessing the effectiveness of the components of a course placement system. The effectiveness of placement tests or other variables in identifying underprepared students is described by the conditional probability of success in a standard course. Estimating the conditional probability of success is discussed.…

Correlational methods are compared to an alternative method based on decision theory and logistic regression for providing validity evidence for college admissions and course placement criteria. The advantages and limitations of both methods are examined. The correlation coefficient measures the strength of the linear statistical relationship…

Course placement systems in postsecondary education consist of an assessment component to estimate students' probability of success in standard first-year courses and an instructional component in which underprepared students are taught the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the standard courses. Student success is usually defined in…

This paper considers the problem of validating placement procedures or, more precisely, of determining their educational appropriateness. At issue is determining whether a test score serves the particular educational function it was designed to serve (for example, course placement), and whether it does so in an economical way. These determinations…

Course placement systems in postsecondary education consist of an assessment component (to predict students' probability of success in standard first-year courses) and an instructional component (in which underprepared students are taught the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the standard course). The effectiveness of a placement system…

This report addresses the problem of sample size in developing prediction equations for college freshman grade averages under the American College Testing (ACT) Assessment Program. For the ACT Assessment, the prediction weights are estimated by standard least squares procedures. Because prediction weights are estimated regression coefficients…

The validity of American College Testing Program (ACT) test scores and self-reported high school grades for predicting grades in specific college freshman courses was studied. Specific course grades are typically used to place students in remedial, standard, or advanced classes. These placement decisions, in turn, have immediate implications for…