This study examined factors contributing to under- and over-achievement in first-year college students at York University in Ontario (Canada). The difference between predicted and actual first-year grades of a sample of 1,229 students entering York University in 1994 was examined on the basis of information obtained from administrative records, a…

The status, function, and education of engineers in Britain and West Germany are compared. Status of the German engineer, engineering education in Germany, the engineer and German society, and the overachieving engineer are discussed. (Author/MLW)

This chapter, published as part of an extensive report on an experimental college program for low-achieving students, provides a comprehensive review of recent research literature related to low-achievers. Organized into several sections, the review deals with literature on identifying over-and under-achievers, factors related to achievement and…

A sizable representative subsample of the standardization group for the Metropolitan Achievement Tests participated in both the Fall and Spring standardization programs. Fall and Spring test records were matched for all such pupils and Fall-Spring "growth expectancies" were derived. Additionally, the sample was split into three subgroups…

The distribution of measured reading achievement in a population of 3,651 sixth-grade students and the relationship of reading deficiency to later achievement and behavior in secondary schools were reported. Reading deficiency was defined as a discrepancy between the level of reading ability expected on the basis of a subject's total mental…

In this study of the relationship between factors in the home and school achievement, teachers' ratings and student scores on a standard achievement test were examined in light of parental expectations for the child's independence behavior, the child's personal qualities, and his future work values. Mothers of 441 fifth graders were interviewed…

Like other Indigenous populations worldwide, China's ethnic minorities have faced considerable obstacles to acquiring education. At higher levels of education, minority students have far lower enrollment rates and far higher dropout rates than Han majority students. This is particularly true at the point of college admittance, since only 2 percent…

Examined the prevalence of eating-disordered cognitions and behaviors among adolescent obligatory exercisers (those for whom exercise is the central focus of their lives). Surveys of 250 male and female adolescents indicated that obligatory exercisers had more eating-disordered attitudes and traits than did nonobligatory exercisers, sharing…

VARIOUS EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT SELF-CONCEPT OF ABILITY IS RELATED TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AND IS CAPABLE OF MEASUREMENT. A SELF-CONCEPT OF ABILITY SCALE WAS DEVELOPED IN TWO FORMS--(1) GENERAL SELF-CONCEPT OF ABILITY AND (2) SELF-CONCEPT OF ABILITY IN SPECIFIC SCHOOL SUBJECTS. MAJOR RESULTS OF THE STUDY REVEALED THAT (1) SEVENTH-GRADE…

AN EXPLORATION OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN PROGRAMED TEACHING DEVICES AND INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS UNDERTAKEN. THERE WERE FOUR PARTS -- PREPARATION OF MATERIALS ON GEOMETRY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CRITERION MEASURES, PRELIMINARY PILOT EXPERIMENTS, AND THE MAIN EXPERIMENT. THE MAIN EXPERIMENT WAS PERFORMED IN 27 CLASSES…

Discusses the allocative and selective procedures of a multiracial British comprehensive school. Argues that future studies should consider which students attend which schools and take which courses. Addresses student placement based on English, mathematics, and social studies test results. Concludes that the term "underachiever" is a…

This research project was inspired by an observation that in written descriptions of pupils by student teachers, gender appeared to play a role in the words used to describe successful students. Girls were interpreted as "overconscientious," while boys were regarded as "scientific types." The project centered on Anna, an…

STUDENTS WHO APPROACHED COLLEGE WITH DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL GOALS WERE COMPARED ON THEIR AVERAGE ABILITY, GRADES, NONACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS, REASONS FOR COLLEGE CHOICE, BACKGROUND, EXPECTATIONS CONCERNING COLLEGE, DEGREE PLANS, AND CHOICE OF MAJOR, VOCATION, AND VOCATION ROLE BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING PROGRAM (ACT). THE SUBJECTS WERE A…

THE PROBLEM OF THIS RESEARCH WAS TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE A K SCALE FOR A MOTIVATIONAL TEST BATTERY. APPROXIMATELY 4,200 11TH GRADE, MICHIGAN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPRISED THE STUDY. PROTOCOLS OF ABOUT 300 IDENTIFIED OVER- AND UNDERACHIEVERS WERE USED. AN ANALYSIS WAS CONSTRUCTED TO IDENTIFY ITEMS ON WHICH UNDERACHIEVERS SCORE AS…

Methodologies were proposed for combining background and aptitude and/or achievement information in an approach to the classification problem using the concept of under- and overachievement. The methodologies were applied to independent samples from four high school curricula. The results suggest that when past achievement and/or aptitudes were…