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A Comparison of Academic Success: College Credits via General Examination or Course Enrollment
The Journal of Educational Research
Abstract
This study investigated the question of whether those students who earned credits for basic courses through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) General Examinations achieved the same level of academic performance in advanced courses as those who took the basic courses in the traditional manner, A rigorous sampling procedure was used to match both CLEP and non-CLEP students on Florida Twelfth Grade Test scores. Both groups were then compared on their average grades in five academic areas: English, social science, natural science, mathematics, and humanities. Results of covariance analysis showed that the CLEP students (N=134) did just as well in five academic areas and overall GPA as the non-CLEP students (N=160).
This article provides information designed to assist counselors in helping high school students realistically assess their chances of earning college credit through the CLEP General Examinations. Based on sample sizes of approximately 1600 for each GE, separate regression equations were calculated with the corresponding ACT subscore and a person's sex as the independent variables. In addition, success rates were reported for each GE by level of ACT score. The medians of the CLEP 1963 Sophomore Norm groups were used as the criterion for success. This definition has wide applicability because the majority of institutions with CLEP policies have criterion scores in the vicinity of these medians. For criterion scores at this level or lower, the following conclusion seems warranted: Students with ACT Mathematics standard scores above 26, and ACT scores above 28 for any of the other subtests, have an excellent chance of earning credit through the corresponding CLEP GEs.
Between September, 1967 and February, 1968, three of the Gen eral Examinations of the College Level Examination Program were administered to 319 Missouri women, aged 25-73, for the purpose of comparing their test performance with that of regularly enrolled freshman and sophomore college women, and of developing norma tive data for adult women. Personal data provided several vari ables which were analyzed to determine which ones were signifi cantly related to satisfactory performance on these tests. Recency of formal enrollment in school or college was significant at the 5% level only for the Natural Sciences test. These and other find ings have important implications for counselors of adults, college admissions officers, and employers of mature women.
Not the Traditional Student but Almost Everyone Else,” College Admissions Policies for the 1970’s, CEEB
- J N Arbolino