ACADEMIC-ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGH-SCHOOL OF BLACKS AND WHITES - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF FRESHMAN COLLEGE-STUDENTS WHO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED WITHOUT OPEN ADMISSIONS

The high school achievement of black and white freshman college students was analyzed in terms of whether they had slightly better than a C average, were in the upper half of their graduating class, or scored a minimum of 18, the national average, on the American College Testing Program test (ACT). Those who failed on all three criteria would not have been admitted under proposed university standards, which were suggested to replace the open admissions standards. Of the 487 freshmen admitted, 102 failed on all three criteria, and blacks were overrepresented in this group by a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, the proposed new non-open admissions standards would have eliminated 68 blacks and 34 whites from college admission at this school. Reasons for low black achievement are discussed.