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Handicapped Applicants to College: An Analysis of Admission Decisions SAT

Author(s):
Willingham, Warren W.
Publication Year:
1987
Report Number:
RR-87-01
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
23
Subject/Key Words:
College Board, College Admission, College Bound Students, Disabilities, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Selective Admission, Assessing People with Disabilities

Abstract

Federal regulations protect the rights of handicapped students regarding admissions testing and the admissions process generally. The purpose of this study was to compare admissions decisions of handicapped and nonhandicapped applicants who have comparable Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores and high school grades (HSG). The main finding was that handicapped applicants were admitted on much the same basis as nonhandicapped applicants, but there were exceptions that favored hearing impaired applicants, disfavored small groups of visually impaired and physically handicapped applicants to small institutions, and disfavored learning disabled applicants to a small degree. The results appeared inconsistent with the assumption that colleges give special attention to flagged test scores of handicapped applicants. (23pp.)

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