In studies of the SAT, correlations of SAT scores, high school grades, and socioeconomic factors (SES) are usually obtained using a university as the unit of analysis. This approach obscures an important structural aspect of the data: The high school grades received by a given institution come from a large number of high schools, all of which have…

Valedictorians are not always the most accomplished students because some academically gifted youth take easy courses to maintain their grade point averages, although others risk their grades by taking more challenging classes. To address this problem, Bear Creek High School (Jefferson County, Colorado) created higher academic standards and…

Describes an alternative to the traditional grading system and its relation to student placement in colleges and universities. (AN)

Based on the Gaussian model, methods for using measurements that depend on the true attribute to compute rankings are proposed and compared. Measurements based on an empirical Bayes model produce estimates that differ from ranking observed data. Ranking methods are illustrated with school achievement data. (TJH)

Examines the use of rank-in-class (RIC) in the college admission process. Reviews the changes occurring in education that have an effect on RIC. Discusses the advantages of using RIC as a predictor of college success. (MKA)

The present study investigates pre-business students' reaction to Activity Based Learning in a lower division core required course entitled Introduction to Global Business in the business curriculum at California State University Chico. The study investigates students' preference for Activity Based Learning in comparison to a more traditional…

According to the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE), attending academically selective high schools negatively affects academic self-concept. Does the BFLPE persist after graduation from high school? In two large, representative samples of German high school students (Study 1: 2,306 students, 147 schools; Study 2: 1,758 students, 94 schools), the…

Freshmen participating in the honors program had higher levels of achievement after one year than did an equivalent comparison group and a comparison group of randomly selected freshmen. (Author)

Nonfreshmen business students at two universities (n=333) evaluated two open-ended arithmetic expressions; 14.8% evaluated the first incorrectly and 33.3% the second. More recent high school graduates performed better. A refresher lesson on order of operations was recommended. (SK)

Describes study investigating why some academically able students attending "star" public high schools are rejected by selective colleges even though their SAT scores are often much higher than those admitted from other high schools. (PKP)

This study used the Measure of Epistemology Reflection to explore the impact of service-learning and social justice education on college students' cognitive development. Six service-learning courses taught with or without a social justice emphasis were studied. Results showed that service-learning courses in general had a positive impact on…

The Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) program at the University of Minnesota has drawn from the best practices of Supplemental Instruction, Peer-Led Team Learning, Structured Learning Assistance, the Emerging Scholars Program, and other successful postsecondary peer cooperative learning models to establish guiding principles for structuring learning…

The University School of Milwaukee eliminated class rank and substituted a bar graph system, illustrated and explained in the article. (SP)

Examines the relationship between class rank and intelligence skills for a group of 75 physically handicapped students mainstreamed into two regular vocational-technical high school programs. (Author/CM)