The Relationship Between Tests, Course Placement, and the Academic Performance of College Freshmen
Standardized and basic skills placement tesh are used routinely as indicators of academic ability and potential in academic advising. By analyzing the relationship between test scores and the academic performance patterns of more than 1,800 freshmen attending an urban public university, the authors found that basic skills placement tesh measured academic preparation more accurately than did the American College Test (ACT). However, standardized and locally developed placement tests predicted academic performance with only low to moderate reliability. In particular, the tests tended to underestimate both the academic preparation and the likelihood of satisfactory academic performance of female and non-White students.
Contributor Notes
J. Blaine Hudson is Assistant Professor of Pan African Studies and Director of the Pan African Studies Institute for Teachers, as well as former Associate Director of the Preparatory Division.
Sidney A. McPhee is Assistant University Provost and Associate Professor of Educational and Counseling Psychology, as well as former Director of the Preparatory Division.
Joseph Petrosko, Jr., is Professor of Educational Foundations. Address correspondence concerning this article to J. Blaine Hudson, Ed. D., 240 Strickler Hall, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292.
