COLLEGE DECISIONS ON ADVANCED PLACEMENT: I. A FOLLOW‐UP OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT CANDIDATES OF 1963

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe results of a mail survey of all colleges and universities that received May 1963 A. P. score reports are presented in this, the first of two reports dealing with College Decisions on Advanced Placement. The report is based on tabulations of returns from 90% of the colleges questioned and represents over 97% of the potential candidates involved.Previous studies carried out by Educational Testing Service and elsewhere had indicated considerable variability in awards of placement and/or credit in relation to A.P. examination score. There were indications that the variability might be related to regional differences or the relative volume of A. P. candidates at colleges as well as a product of differences across subject matter fields. Therefore, the data were analyzed to test these tentative hypotheses.Differences across and within individual colleges proved to be the greatest source of variability. In comparison, differences across regions, college groups (as determined by the number of 1963 A.P. candidates) and subject fields were found to be of minor importance.Data on awards of placement and credit to students who had not participated in the formal A. P. Program were also collected and compared with data for the formal A. P. candidates. Although approximately three times as many non‐A.P. students were given some positive college action, our tabulations showed that only 27% of this group were given recognition carrying credit, whereas the achievement of 75% of A. P. students who gained any reward for college level work done in secondary school was recognized by awards of placement and credit or credit alone.In the appendices of this report are tables which present the relation of A. P. examination score to various college actions by region, college group and subject matter fields.