Abstract
The Problem. Due to the criticism of test and culture bias, only 46 percent of California's community colleges presently have assessment-placement systems. Therefore, students often struggle to find courses that will assist them in being successful in college. Purpose of the Study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect that an "assessment, voluntary placement system" has on student success. Student success is measured in terms of improved retention, grade point average and skill growth. Voluntary placement--rather than compulsory placement, popular in the sixties--was used to avoid the arguments of test and cultural bias and to foster student commitment through freedom of choice in selecting recommended courses. Methodology. Using the pre-test/post-test, experimental research design, a population of 500 S(,s) was randomly selected from a total available population of 4,237 freshmen, day-time students enrolled in the vocational education divisions of Agriculture, Business, Family and Consumer Education, Public Safety and Trades and Industry. The random selection of students from these divisions was equally stratified, and the distribution was representatively proportional between treatment and control groups in terms of age, sex, ethnicity and geographical region. Both treatment and control groups were given the Comparative Guidance Placement Examination to measure skill levels in reading, writing and mathematics, but only the treatment group was informed of their test results and recommended course placements. Retention, grade point average and skill growth were measured for treatment/control and appropriately/inappropriately placed groups to measure the effect of appropriate placement on student success. The moderator variables of ethnicity and age were also investigated. Findings. The advisement treatment had a strong effect on the appropriate placement which, in turn, significantly resulted in a higher rate of retention, better grade-point averages and greater skill growth. Neither division or age appeared to have an important, significant effect on student success. However, it is more important for the success of Blacks and Hispanics to be given advisement for appropriate course placement than it is for Caucasians. Also, students placed in basic, developmental skill courses made a significantly greater gain in skill growth than those students in the regular program.