This article outlines shortcomings of currently used university admissions tests and discusses ways in which they could potentially be improved, summarizing two projects designed to enhance college and university admissions. The projects were inspired by the augmented theory of successful intelligence, according to which successful intelligence…

Discusses the pros and cons of using aptitude/IQ tests with preschoolers to predict later school performance. Condensed from "Early Years," April 1981, pp24-25. (SJL)

Paper presented at the International Seminar on Experimental Research in Music Education (University of Reading, Reading, England, July 9-16, 1968).

The capability of the Slosson Intelligence Test and the Otis Lennon Mental Ability Test to predict academic achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test is examined. The results indicated that the Slosson and Otis-Lennon significantly predict Stanford Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Mathematical Concepts subtest scores.…

Discusses the difficulties that arise when tests designed for one purpose are used for another. Points out that tests reflect the characteristics of the institutions that use them and emphasizes the need for more careful design of actual instructional programs as well as of the tests intended to assess learning. (Author/GC)

The claim that tests of intelligence and abilities are the best predictors of academic success fails to examine closely the important moderator variable as test and criterion characteristics rather than as person characteristics. (EH)

The general ability factor (G), as enunciated by Charles Spearman in the model of cognitive functioning, has been the foundation of psychometric theory and test making practices for 80 years. Through these decades, some psychologists disagreed with this theory, especially Godfrey Thompson and E. L. Thorndike. Nevertheless, various aptitude tests…

Argues that standardized IQ, aptitude, and achievement tests are biased against persons of low socioeconomic status. (IRT)

A correlation matrix of 21 structure-of-intellect (SOI) tests taken by 204 Marine officers at a military base in Southern California, which was intended to reflect aptitudes for military leadership, was reanalyzed through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis. Higher order factors appeared to have…

On test AH6 AG, the total score can be broken down into a verbal and a numerical-plus-diagrammatic subscore; results showed the test to be a good predictor of all-round scholastic ability. (Authors/SP)

A Group of children were given the Otis Lennon Mental Abilities Tests in grades 3, 5, and 7, to measure the degree of score consistency over time. The test predicted future academic success only moderately well in grade 5 and slightly, if at all, in grade 3. (Author/SJL)

Aptitude tests are defined in contrast to intelligence and achievement tests. Although aptitude tests, like intelligence tests, measure a student's overall performance across a broad range of mental capabilities, the former also often include items that measure more specialized abilities (such as verbal and numerical skills) that predict…

Admissions officers are convinced that the Scholastic Aptitude Test offers at least a better clue than high school grades alone as to how well prospective students are likely to perform in their first year of college. Bias is seen as only one of many explanations for score differences among groups. (MLW)

Reviews findings on the predictive validity of psychometric tests of intelligence. Concludes that conventional tests of intelligence can be useful but only if they are interpreted very carefully, taking into account the factors that can affect them, and in conjunction with other measures. (Author)