Evening star., 1960-06-12

N Z w 7 . X K June II. -
American colleges and univer-
stiles were challenged last week
on their admission yardsticks.
Prominent educators believe
that the growing reliance on
examinations and achievement
tests has worked hardship on
many students who are poor
test takers. AS a result, thou
sands of otherwise qualified
high school graduates are
knocking at the campus doors,
unable to get in.
Nearly 100000 new students
have been admitted for the
next academic year. This is an
all-time record, and suggests
that the institutions of higher
learning of the United States
will reach the 4 million mark
In September. This would rep
resent an increase of 250,000
over current enrolment.
But the rush upon the COL
leges is just beginning. DR..
Robert j. Havighurst, profess
sor of education, University of
Chicago, predicts that by 1865
there will be 1.3 million first
time students. The colleges are
not prepared to admit that
many.
Therefore the yearly spring
scramble among high school
graduates to enter college will
get progressively worse. And
admission policies used by COL
legeS will be placed under
greater scrutiny.
Thousands of students last
month received the bad news !:
The college of their choice
turned them down. Some were
placed on waiting lists. They
now wait and hope that an
opening will develop before the
summer ends. Others were told
sorry, no ROOM" and now must
turn elsewhere.
Many extremely bright and
talented youngsters still seek
q college for this fall. Take the
case of Judy. She is goth in her
class of 375, has a score of $50
IN math and 645 in the verbal
part of the scholastic aptitude
test. Her academic average is
above 80.
You'll have no trouble at
ALL" her guidance counselor
assured her.
But she did have trouble. She
is on the waiting list at VasSar,
but was turned down by Smith,
Wellesley and Radcliffe. These
colleges were sympathetic, but
as one Of them wrote: I'VE have
300 places for 1000 applicants. ."
Mad Scramble
Judy is now sick with worry.
and so is her mother. The
guidance counselor is chagrined,
but he put through a long-dis-
tance call to a midwestern
state university and Judy was
accepted. Of course, she would
rather go to one of the big
name Eastern colleges. But so
would hundreds Of others who
now have to turn elsewhere.
A mad scramble for second,
third, or fourth choice colleges
Is now under way in thousands
of homes. Many will be accepted
after considerable heartache
and sadness. But many more
will give up the fight, and give
up all thought Of continuing
with their college education.
Who should be eliminated?
Have the colleges perfected the
best methods to judge the po-
tential capacity of their appli-
cants? Many parents-and they
are now Joined by a growing
chorus Of educators - believe
that the admissions policies are
haphazard and inadequate.
The growing reliance on en-
trance exams, particularly those
administered nationally, has
been challenged. Many colleges
will almost automatically rule
out a candidate if he has a low
college board score.
A report issued last week by
the American Educational Re-
search Association, a depart
ment of the National Education
Association, questions the fuses
and abuse of aptitude
achievement and scholastic
tests.
DR.. George B. Smith, dean
Of the University of Kansas, is
sharply critical Of the examina-
tions now used by the colleges
To restrict college entrance or
the basis of a narrow battery
of tests. unsupported by per-
sonal interviews and other
relevant data, he says, is little
short of immoral"
This is not an academic