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An analysis of intervention programs and their effects upon the achievement of black graduates of predominantely white and black high schools

The purpose of this study was to compare the academic performance of black freshmen at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University who had graduated from predominantly black and predominantly white high schools after their involvement in Intervention Programs on selective variables with those students who have graduated from black and white high schools who did not participate in these programs.

Four groups were created for this comparison: Group A--those students who graduated from black high schools and participated in Intervention Programs; Group B--those students who graduated from predominantly black high schools and who did not participate in these programs; Group C--those students who graduated from predominantly white high schools and who participated in Intervention Programs; Group D--those students who graduated from predominantly white high schools and who did not participate in these programs.

The 4 groups were compared on their mean high school grade point average (HGPA), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, math and verbal, the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) scores, and freshmen cumulative grade point average (FGPA).

A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for type of school graduated, predominantly black or white, and participation or non-participation in Intervention Programs. Also a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson correlation) was performed to ascertain relationship between HGPA and FGPA. In addition, a Pearson correlation was performed between FGPA and the following variables: amount of financial aid, citizenship, family income, and kinds of financial aid.

The findings revealed the following:

Even though black students who participated in Intervention Programs had significantly lower high school grade point averages and standardized test scores, after l year, students who had participated in Intervention Programs mean FGPA was not significantly different from those students who had not participated in these programs. The results showed that there was an association between participation in Intervention Programs and improved academic. performance.

Even though black graduates of predominantly white high schools had higher standardized test scores than did black graduates of predominantly black high schools, these higher test scores did not translate into a higher mean freshmen grade point average.

Graduates of predominantly black high schools who came from low-income families did better academically than did graduates of predominantly white high schools who came from low-income families.

Students who received financial aid had a higher mean freshmen grade point average than did students who did not receive financial aid.

Graduates of predominantly black high schools had a slightly higher mean grade point average, from high school through college, than did graduates of predominantly white high schools.

For students who participated in Intervention Programs, their high school grade point averages were not good predictors of their college grade point averages. In general, students who participated in Intervention Programs faired as well as students who did not when compared for academic survival. However, for students who did not participate in these programs, their high school grade point averages were good predictors of their college grade point averages. / Ed. D.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/74219
Date January 1986
CreatorsTann, Henry Elgie
ContributorsCounseling and Student Personnel Services, McDaniels, Carl O., Carson, Eugene W., Jones, Russell T., Fortune, Jimmie C., Pratt, Cornelius B.
PublisherVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation, Text
Formatix, 125 leaves, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
RelationOCLC# 14636113

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