Adult Academic Achievement in Relation To Formal Education and Age

Abstract

An attempt was made to determine whether there are substantial numbers of adults whose academic achievement is equivalent to that of a representative sample of college students. The test scores of 43,877 military personnel on the General Examinations of the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) were analyzed in rela tion to previous formal education and age. Depending on the test, from 12 to 27 percent of the servicemen who have not studied beyond the high school level scored as well as the average college sophomore. A significantly positive relationship was found between formal college education and academic knowledge. The pattern of the level of academic achievement in different disciplines changed as a function of age. Knowledge of humanities, social sciences, and history improved with age while achievement in mathematics and natural sciences declined.

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References

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