Hi All:

As a parallel discussion to the math placement test, I would like to
ask everyone how they assess non-academic characteristics and skills
that may play a role in student academic success or failure (e.g.,
long-range goals, realistic self-appraisal, support network,
self-concept, leadership, community involvement, etc.).  And, how you
use that information to guide program development to help students build
those skills.

I'm thinking of the work by Sedlacek ("Beyond the Big Test:
Noncognitive Assessment in Higher Education) and some of his studies of
nontraditional student populations with unique cultural and life
experiences.  These "noncognitive variables" seem to be better
predictors of persistence in college than just looking at traditional
test scores of verbal and quantitative abilities.

Cynthia

Cynthia Zafft, Senior Advisor
National College Transition Network
www.collegetransition.org 
www.collegeforadults.org