This report analyzes the early academic achievement of disadvantaged students admitted to the Special Educational Opportunities Program (SEOP) at the Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois. Overall gradepoint averages and grades in 3 new courses established in rhetoric, psychology, and mathematics are examined. Both criteria are compared with customary preadmission indices, high school percentile rank and standardized ability and achievement test measures. In the study, test scores were found to be more valid for predicting the first term GPA of SEOP students than for regular students; the predictive effectiveness of high school percentile rank was greater for regular students. Two major recommendations are made for future consideration: (1) expansion of recruitment efforts should be made so that greater numbers of SEOP applicants can be screened on the basis of ability measures; and (2) the use of standardized achievement test measures should be increased for placement into and for proficiency out of remedial coursework. (Author/HS)