AI Transcription, Pages 326-350
Page 326
[Marginalia] Copyright 1958 by College Entrance Examination Board.
[Marginalia] To help you
[Marginalia] confer
the way in which colleges consider scores, and we can tell you something
about the scores made by other candidates who have also taken the SAT
Our purpose is to give you a basis for conferring about college admis-
sion with your school counselor and with the admission officers of the
various colleges in which you are interested. These men and women have
a good deal of knowledge about you (including your test scores) and can
give you helpful advice in your educational planning. This leaflet should
help you formulate questions about your college prospects. When you have
these questions well in mind ask your school counselor and college admis-
sion officers to help you work out the answers.
[Marginalia] Scores range from
[Marginalia] 200 to 800
The simplest fact about SAT scores is what they are: indicators of ability
to do college work. They are not perfect indicators but considering that
the test takes only three hours, they do a surprisingly good job in telling
how a student will make out in college.
The scores are expressed as numbers on a scale that ranges from a low
of 200 to a high of 800. This scale is the same for all forms (editions) of
the test. That is, a score of 570 on one form of the SAT means the same
thing in terms of academic promise as a score of 570 on any other form
of the test. It also means the same thing whether a student takes the test
in December or whether he takes it in March or at any other time.
The use of these scores makes it possible for college admission officers
2
[Marginalia] Uniform standard
to size up all their candidates on the same basis. The academic promise
of a candidate from Maine can be accurately compared with the academic
promise of a candidate from California. Also the test performance of a
candidate who takes the SAT in December can be accurately compared
with the test performance of a candidate who takes the test in March.
Contrary to what some people suppose, a candidate’s score on the SAT
is in no way affected by the ability of other students taking the test at the
same time that he does.
However useful and fair the test is, it is only one part of the evidence
weighed by the college in considering your application. The college is
principally interested in two things: the kind of student you are and the
kind of person you are. It learns about you as a person in several ways—
from your school, sometimes through an interview with you, often through
your answers to the questions asked on the application form.
[Marginalia] School record is
[Marginalia] most important part
[Marginalia] of application
The college also learns about you as a student from your school,
because a student’s day-to-day academic record over a period of years is
known to agree better than anything else with his future college achieve-
ment. So the college carefully reviews your grades, the subjects you
studied, your rank in class. Obviously, your desire to learn as well as your
ability to learn are both reflected in your record. Thus a good school
record is the single most important part of your college application.
3
Page 327
[Marginalia] Test scores
[Marginalia] supplement your
[Marginalia] school record
The test scores are added to the school record, partly because they make
it possible to compare students from different schools, and partly becaus⟦illegible⟧
they tend either to confirm the individual's record or to call attention to
differences between his record and his ability. The SAT measures certain
kinds of abilities—your reading ability, your ability to understand and
use words, and your ability to reason with words and numbers. Since
these abilities are closely related to both school and college success, if you
have done well in school, you have probably done well on the test and will
probably do well in college. If you have not been a good student, you
probably scored low on the test and will probably do poorly in college.
[Marginalia] High or low scores
High test scores coupled with a poor school record often mean that you
have not done your best in school. A high score, however, is neither an
automatic ticket of admission nor a guarantee of success in college. It
cannot compensate for mediocre preparation for college work any more
than a strong body can compensate for lack of exercise and training in
athletics. On the other hand, low scores can often be counterbalanced
by an academic record which is good enough to demonstrate that your
purpose is steadfast and that you are ready to undertake college courses.
[Marginalia] Colleges weigh
[Marginalia] many factors
Clearly, then, a great many intangibles, both personal and intellectua⟦illegible⟧
are involved in the college's evaluation of the individual applicant. It
is also true that the college's decision may be influenced by other consider-⟦illegible⟧
4
ations which force it to make hard choices between individuals—such
things as the number of students who can be admitted and the range of
ability and interests that may be sought for the freshman class. In other
words, the college’s decision is not always determined wholly by the indi-
vidual’s ability to do school work alone. Each applicant must be compared
with every other applicant against the background of the entire class that
is to be admitted.
[Marginalia] Values attached to
[Marginalia] a score vary
This means that test scores have no set value in college admission, nor
do they have passing or failing levels, since college requirements vary.
Even so, the fact remains that the test does estimate academic ability and
that your scores can be viewed in relation to those of all other students
or of any group of students to see how your test performance compares
with theirs.
The SAT, as you probably know, yields two scores, a Verbal score and
a Mathematical score. What scores do students generally make? Figures
1 and 2 give the answer.
[Marginalia] How high school
[Marginalia] seniors scored
Figure 1 shows in two charts how high school seniors who actually took
the test last year lined up on the Verbal and Mathematical scores. What do
these charts tell you? Suppose your Verbal score is 482. This would fall
among the scores shown on the chart as the “450-499” group. Seventeen
per cent of last year’s candidates got a Verbal score in the vicinity of
5
Page 328
Figure 1 Scores of the school seniors who took the SAT
| SAT Verbal | 650 & above | 8% |
| | 600-649 | 8% |
| | 550-599 | 12% |
| | 500-549 | 16% |
| | 450-499 | 17% |
| | 400-449 | 16% |
| | 350-399 | 13% |
| | 300-349 | 7% |
| | Below 300 | 3% |
| SAT Mathematical | 650 & above | 10% |
| | 600-649 | 10% |
| | 550-599 | 14% |
| | 500-549 | 18% |
| | 450-499 | 17% |
| | 400-449 | 15% |
| | 350-399 | 9% |
| | 300-349 | 5% |
| | Below 300 | 2% |
⟦image of a student with raised arm⟧
Figure 2 Scores of all school seniors (if all seniors took the SAT)
SAT Verbal
| 650 & above | 1% |
| 600-649 | 2% |
| 550-599 | 2% |
| 500-549 | 5% |
| 450-499 | 7% |
| 400-449 | 12% |
| 350-399 | 22% |
| 300-349 | 28% |
| Below 300 | 21% |
SAT Mathematical
| 650 & above | 2% |
| 600-649 | 4% |
| 550-599 | 7% |
| 500-549 | 10% |
| 450-499 | 16% |
| 400-449 | 15% |
| 350-399 | 18% |
| 300-349 | 20% |
| Below 300 | 8% |
Page 329
[Marginalia] Mathematical score
[Marginalia] example
yours, that is, somewhere between 450 and 499. If you add up the per cents
above the 499 mark, you will find that 44 per cent of last year's group did
better than you. If you add up the per cents below 450, you will find that
39 per cent did worse than you.
Still looking at Figure 1, suppose your Mathematical score is 527. This
puts you among those who had scores between 500 and 549. Eighteen per
cent of the candidates had scores in this vicinity. About 34 per cent have
Mathematical scores higher than yours. About 48 per cent have Mathe-
matical scores lower than yours.*
[Marginalia] How all seniors
[Marginalia] might have scored
Figure 2 gives a different picture. It shows how all high school seniors
might have done if they had taken the SAT. Against this background, your
supposed Verbal score of 482 looks somewhat different. Only about 10 per
cent of all high school seniors would have scored higher and about 83 per
cent would have scored lower than you. Your supposed Mathematical
score of 527 also looks different against this background of all high school
seniors. In this case you are up among the top 23 per cent.
[Marginalia] Chart your position
Now look at your own actual scores in Verbal and Mathematical, and
see where they put you on these two charts.
*In general girls do less well than boys on the Mathematical parts of the test and
should not be surprised if their Mathematical scores are noticeably lower than their
Verbal.
8
[Marginalia] Students at
[Marginalia] three colleges
A much more helpful comparison would be provided by a graph which
would show the scores of students who have been admitted to the colleges
in which you are interested. Since graphs of this kind cannot be provided
for the more than 200 colleges which require the SAT, you are again
urged to discuss your scores as part of your overall record with your
school counselor. He can advise you best on the different requirements
and expectations of a great many colleges. Some indication of these dif-
ferences, as reflected very incompletely by test scores alone, is given
(Figure 3) by a comparison of the Verbal scores of students who were
admitted and enrolled at three colleges, all of them fully accredited insti-
tutions of good reputation.
[Marginalia] See how you stand
By using the same procedures that you followed with the charts in
Figures 1 and 2, you can see where your Verbal score puts you in relation
to the students in each of the three colleges depicted in Figure 3. In College
A you will stand lower than you will in College B. And in College B you
will stand lower than you will in College C. Add up the per cents above
your scores at each college and find out for yourself.
The SAT scores have been selected for discussion here because this is the
College Board test taken by the greatest number of students. Many of the
same things could be said about the Achievement Tests. Perhaps you did
not have to take any of the Achievement Tests. If you did, however, you
9
Page 330
Figure 3 SAT Verbal scores of freshmen at three colleges
| College A | | College B | | College C | |
| 800 | | 800 | | 800 | |
| 750 | 2% | 750 | | 750 | |
| 700 | 6% | 700 | 1% | 700 | |
| 650 | 17% | 650 | 2% | 650 | 1% |
| 600 | 26% | 600 | 8% | 600 | 3% |
| 550 | 20% | 550 | 17% | 550 | 6% |
| 500 | 18% | 500 | 27% | 500 | 9% |
| 450 | 7% | 450 | 23% | 450 | 17% |
| 400 | 3% | 400 | 14% | 400 | 21% |
| 350 | 1% | 350 | 6% | 350 | 25% |
| 300 | | 300 | 2% | 300 | 12% |
| 250 | | 250 | | 250 | 5% |
| 200 | | 200 | | 200 | 1% |
[Marginalia] Achievement Test scores
should know that the scores on them are expressed in the same way as the
SAT scores, that is, on a scale that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of
800. A full explanation of Achievement Test scores depends on factors best
interpreted by your school counselor: the courses you have taken, the
number of years of study in a subject, and your own particular interests
and abilities. These individual factors prevent our giving you a more
meaningful explanation of Achievement Test scores in this leaflet.
If you are a junior and have taken the SAT at the suggestion of your
counselor for guidance purposes, it is possible now to estimate what your
scores will be as a senior next year. By doing this and by comparing your
scores with information about students who are now being admitted to
various colleges, you can get a general indication of your chances of being
admitted to a number of different possible colleges. Since this is not
something you can do yourself, ask your counselor to help you.
[Marginalia] Ask your counselor
[Marginalia] for help
It must be clear to you at this point that, however simple the test scores
themselves are, the job of interpreting and applying them in college admis-
sions is difficult and complex. Under the circumstances, the men and
women who can be of most help to you are your school counselor and the
admission officers of the colleges in which you are interested. Consult
them, consider their advice carefully, and the chances are that your
college experience will be worth while and enjoyable.
11
Page 331
ceeb
College Entrance Examination Board
425 West 117 Street, New York 27, N. Y.
⟦Photograph of a person writing at a desk⟧
Page 332
[Stamp] FIRST CLASS
[Stamp] PERMIT NO. 89
[Stamp] PRINCETON, N. J.
BUSINESS REPLY ENVELOPE
No postage stamp necessary if mailed in the United States
Postage will be paid by
PSAT
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
Educational Testing Service
P. O. Box 589
Princeton, New Jersey
||||||||||||||||||||
Page 333
ceeb
College Entrance Examination Board
c/o Educational Testing Service
P. O. Box 592
Princeton, New Jersey
[Stamp] PRINCETON N. J. APR 13 '60
[Stamp] U.S. POSTAGE 50
[Stamp] P.B. METER P.B. 348130
[Marginalia] 16
Shamash Secondary School
New Alwiyah, Baghdad 990210
Baghdad, Iraq
ATTENTION:
GUIDANCE
DIRECTOR
[Marginalia] ⟦Sent airmail⟧
[Marginalia] Order of Applications for sat & Achievement Tests
[Marginalia] Actual no. of students = 9
[Marginalia] ⟦illegible⟧
Page 334
ceeb COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION BOARD
Post Office Box 592, Princeton, New Jersey ⟦U.S.A.⟧
April 14, 1960
To the Secondary School Guidance Director:
Again, as in 1959, we are inviting you to place an early order for copies of the
1960-61 College Board booklets and forms that your students will need in arranging to
take the Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test and Achievement Tests in the academic year
1960-61. The students' booklets, all of which will be supplied free of charge, are:
1960-61 Bulletin of Information, which lists testing dates, centers, and fees, and
explains how students register for and take the tests.
A description of the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test, which tells why the
SAT is given, how it is made, and how scores on it are used in college admissions, and
which also includes many sample questions.
A description of the College Board Achievement Tests, a similar booklet about
these tests.
In addition to the students' booklets, you may also order the following forms:
separate applications which your students will need if they wish to register for tests on
more than one date and transmittal forms to be used if you wish to return completed
applications in bulk instead of having your students send them individually.
We would appreciate it if you would order only as many copies of the Bulletin as
you will have students taking the tests next year. Each copy of the 1960-61 Bulletin
will contain one application blank bound into the booklet. For students who will need
more than one application blank in order to register for tests on an additional testing date
or dates, please order separate applications rather than additional copies of the Bulletin
containing applications.
We would also appreciate your ordering only as many copies of the SAT descriptive
booklet as you will have students taking this test and only as many copies of the booklet
describing the Achievement Tests as you will have students taking those tests. We are asking
that, starting next fall, you give your students copies of the booklets describing the tests
they will take at about the time they obtain the Bulletin from you. At present, many
students obtain these booklets directly from the College Board by making a check-mark on
their applications. This system is being discontinued because it leads some students to
obtain their booklets too late in the year to permit a careful reading of them before taking
the tests.
Page 335
- 2 -
An order blank for these publications and forms is enclosed for your convenience.
Estimates rather than exact figures of the various quantities you will need will be
satisfactory, because you will receive another order form as part of our fall announcement,
with which you will be able to supplement this first order if you should find that additional
copies are needed.
Although we are asking you to order these materials now, they will not be shipped
until September 1. Placing your order early, however, will enable us to prepare shipments
in advance and to deliver your supplies shortly after school opens next fall.
The schedule of tests for 1960-61 is:
| Saturday, December 3, 1960 | SAT and Achievement Tests |
| Saturday, January 14, 1961 | SAT only |
| Saturday, February 4, 1961 | SAT only |
| Saturday, March 18, 1961 | SAT and Achievement Tests |
| Saturday, May 20, 1961 | SAT and Achievement Tests |
| Wednesday, August 9, 1961 | SAT and Achievement Tests |
Thank you for your interest and cooperation.
[Signature] College Entrance Examination Board
⟦staple marks⟧
Page 337
College
Entrance
Examination
Board
⟦1⟧959-60
⟦A⟧DVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS
⟦IN⟧FORMATION FOR COORDINATORS
Page 338
Two copies of this booklet have been sent to each Coordi-
nator, one for his own use and the other as information for
the principal or headmaster of the school and for teachers
of Advanced Placement courses. Additional copies may be
obtained on request.
Address all correspondence to:
⟦C⟧ollege Board Advanced Placement Examinations
c/o Educationa⟦l⟧ Testing Service
Box 592
Princeton, New Jersey
Copyright 1959 by College Entrance Examination Board
On May 1960, secondary schools in the United
States and abroad will conduct the Advanced Place-
ment Examinations, which were formerly adminis-
tered directly by Educational Testing Service for
the College Board. The Advanced Placement Exam-
inations are prepared for the College Board by
examining committees composed of school and col-
lege teachers. The examiners are assisted by testing
specialists of Educational Testing Service, which
also provides other services in connection with the
program.
Each school that plans to hold the examinations
during the week of May 16 to 20 has appointed an
Advanced Placement Examinations Coordinator,
who will be responsible for making the necessary
arrangements for giving the examinations. The pur-
⟦p⟧ose of this booklet is to assist the Coordinator by
⟦pr⟧oviding him with detailed information about the
registration of candidates, the collection of fees,
and other arrangements for the examinations.
1
Candidate estimates
All secondary schools planning to hold the Advanced
Placement Examinations have been requested to
submit an estimate of the number of students they
expect to take the examinations and the number of
examinations in each subject that their students will
take. Sufficient copies of the Bulletin for Students,
Advanced Placement Examinations, 1959-60 have
been sent to the Coordinators for distribution.
In February 1960, the Coordinators will receive
a form on which to make a final estimate of:
1. The total number of students who expect to
take the examinations in May 1960.
2. The examinations to be administered, listed
by subject, and the number of students who plan to
take each examination.
The figures given on this final estimate form will
serve as the basis on which the examination sup-
plies will be sent to the school. The form should be
completed and returned to the address given on the
inside front cover by April 20, 1960.
Page 339
Examination schedule
It is expected that schools will notify Advanced
Placement candidates as to the starting time and
place of the examinations. The 1959-60 Advanced
Placement Examinations may be given only during
the week of May 16 to 20, on the dates that are
shown below. Since each examination requires a
full three hours of testing as well as time for dis-
tributing and collecting the examination materials,
it is suggested that the morning examinations begin
at 8:30 a.m., and the afternoon examinations at
1:30 p.m. Schools may vary the starting time by as
much as two hours in order to adjust the adminis-
tration of the examinations to meet local conditions.
If a school has candidates who wish to take one of
the German examinations and the Biology exami-
nation, the Friday schedule can be rearranged. For
example, the conflict could be resolved by holding
the German examination in the morning and the
Biology examination in the afternoon. Candidates
should be informed that they may take either the
Schedule for
the 1959-60 Advanced Placement Examinations,
May 16-20, 1960
| | Morning | Afternoon |
| Monday May 16 | Physics | Literature and English Composition |
| Tuesday May 17 | French | Mathematics |
| Wednesday May 18 | Spanish | European History |
| Thursday May 19 | Chemistry | American History |
| Friday May 20 | Intermediate German Advanced German Biology | Latin 4 Latin 5 |
2
Latin 4 or the Latin 5 examination, not both. Simi-
larly, the Intermediate or the Advanced German
examination may be taken, not both.
Coordinators will receive detailed information
on the administration of the examinations in the
Supervisor's Manual, which will be sent to them
with the test supplies.
Examination supervision and rooms
It is expected that the Coordinator, at most of the
schools offering the Advanced Placement Examina-
tions, will also supervise them. If the size of the
group to be examined is large and a number of ex-
aminations in different subjects are scheduled, he
may obtain help in conducting the examinations.
Rooms should be selected which provide the best
possible conditions for good performance on the
examinations. Since parts of the examinations in
French, German, and Spanish use tape recordings
to test the listening skills of the students, special
care should be taken to hold these examinations in
quiet rooms. Before scheduling an examination in
a particular room, the Coordinator should inspect
it to make sure that it does not give an advantage to
any individual or group of candidates. Wall dis-
plays, maps, charts, and bulletin-board or black-
board notes that relate to the subject of the examina-
tion either should not be in the room or should be
covered during the examination.
3
Page 340
Student notification and records
Joint school administration
Students should be notified that the Coordinator is
responsible for making all necessary arrangements
for the examinations. It may be helpful to the Co-
ordinator to ask students to fill out a simple form
prepared by the school on which students would
indicate their intention to take the examinations. A
Master Record Card for each student, which will be
used to identify the candidate with the examinations
he has taken and the college to which his grades are
to be reported, will be sent to the Coordinator with
the examination supplies. This card should be filled
out by candidates at the time they take the examina-
tions and then returned by the Coordinator along
with the examination materials. Coordinators
should confirm the accuracy of their Master Record
Cards, since the cards will serve as the basis for
billing the school. If at the time he takes the exam-
inations the candidate does not know which college
he will attend, he should be given a Choice of Col-
lege Card (as explained on page 8).
Schools in the same area may wish to cooperate
with each other by combining their testing of Ad-
vanced Placement Examination candidates in a
single school or in a limited number of schools. The
College Board should be notified as soon as pos-
sible, but not later than February 1960, that such
an arrangement has been made. The names of the
participating schools and the name of the person
selected to receive further word about the adminis-
tration of the examinations should be included.
These schools should also submit a single combined
final estimate of the expected number of Advanced
Placement candidates by April 20, 1960. On the
basis of this estimate, a single shipment of examina-
tion supplies will be made to the school at which
the examinations are to be held.
4
For students not at participating schools
Students attending schools that do not plan to ad-
minister the Advanced Placement Examinations in
1960 have been asked to report their difficulty to the
address given on the inside front cover. The names
of nearby schools planning to administer the exam-
inations will be sent to them. These candidates will
also be advised to ask the Coordinators of these
schools if they can be accommodated at one of them.
Students who are not affiliated with any school
or who are unable to make arrangements to be
tested at a nearby school can arrange to take the
examinations at special centers operated by Edu-
cational Testing Service for the College Board. (See
page 6 for further details about fees for special
centers.) Requests for special centers in the United
States, Canada, Mexico, the Canal Zone, and the
West Indies must be received at Educational Testing
Service by April 11, 1960, and for candidates wish-
ing to be tested in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia,
Central America, and South America by March 18.
5
Fees, refunds, and honoraria
Regular fee policy
The regular fees for the Advanced Placement Ex-
aminations are $5 for registration and an additional
$8 for each examination taken. Fees are to be col-
lected by the schools in advance of giving the exam-
inations. In doing so, the schools may make what-
ever arrangements are most convenient locally;
unless the financial practice of the school prohibits
such an arrangement, the Coordinator may be se-
lected to collect the fees from Advanced Placement
candidates. Since the school is to retain a portion
of the fees, candidates who pay by check should be
instructed to make their checks payable to the
school, not the College Board.
A candidate cannot obtain a refund of either the
$5 registration fee or the $8 examination fee if he
attempts any part of an Advanced Placement Ex-
amination. In the event that a student does not
attempt an examination for which he has paid the
fee, he will be entitled to a refund of the $8 examina-
Page 341
tion fee. The $5 registration fee should be refunded
only if the student does not take any examinations.
Candidates examined through schools will be in-
structed to direct any requests for refunds to the
Advanced Placement Examinations Coordinator of
the school.
Honoraria
After the examinations have been administered and
the examination materials returned to Educational
Testing Service, the school will be billed on the
basis of the number of students tested and the num-
ber of examinations actually taken, as shown on the
Master Record Cards. In computing this bill, the
sum of $5, plus $1 for each examination admin-
istered, will be deducted.
These deductions are intended to help the schools
meet some of the administrative expense of giving
the examinations. Because local school situations
are varied, the decision as to the exact use of these
funds will be made by the schools. It is intended
that the Coordinator receive at least $5 for his as-
sistance in handling the arrangements for holding
the examinations, to be paid if one or more candi-
dates take the examinations. This payment should
be regarded as a minimum reimbursement which
would be supplemented if he served as examination
supervisor, associate supervisor, or proctor.
Upon receipt of the bill from the College Board
Advanced Placement Program, the Coordinator or
whoever is in charge of the collection of fees should
disburse the funds remaining after payment of the
bill and then submit a statement to the College
Board of how the funds were allocated.
Special center fee policy
Students tested at special centers operated by Edu-
cational Testing Service will be charged a special
administration fee of $10 for each examination, in
addition to the regular $5 registration fee and the
6
⟦r⟧egular examination fee of $8 for each examina-
tion taken. If a student does not attempt an exam-
ination for which he has registered, the $8 examina-
tion fee and the $10 special administration fee will
be refunded. A refund of $2 of the $5 registration
fee will also be made only if he does not take any
examinations.
Reports to colleges and schools
The materials supporting a candidate's request for
credit and placement are sent only to the college
which he is entering. These materials, which will be
received by the college in July, include a School
Report describing the advanced course or courses
taken, the course grades, and the school's recom-
mendation regarding college credit or placement.
The college also receives an Advanced Placement
Examination report which includes the examina-
tion questions, the student's paper, the grade given
him by the reading committee, and interpretive in-
formation on examination grades. The student's
examination grade or grades are also reported to
his school in September. However, any school that
wishes to receive the examination grades earlier
may request them in July.
School Report
Forms are provided on which the school is asked
to record, for each candidate taking each examina-
7
Page 342
tion, a description of the advanced work he has
completed, his grade in the course, and the school's
recommendation. Blank School Report forms will
be sent to the school with the examination mate-
rials in May 1960; the school should complete and
return them to Educational Testing Service by the
end of June. Educational Testing Service will attach
the candidate's School Report form to his examina-
tion paper and send both to the college that receives
his examination grades.
Grade reports
Examination grades will be sent by Educational
Testing Service in July 1960 to the college that the
candidate plans to attend. At the time the examina-
tions are administered, candidates will be asked to
designate this college on the Master Record Card.
Students who are unable to name a college at that
time should be given a Choice of College Card and
instructed to send it to the address printed on it as
soon as possible. A supply of Choice of College
Cards will be included with the examination mate-
rials sent to the school's Coordinator.
In reporting Advanced Placement grades to the
colleges, no partial reports can be issued. The
grades made by the candidates on every examina-
tion taken during the week will be included.
The examination grades will be sent to schools
about the middle of September. Schools that prefer
to receive their reports earlier may request them
after the first week of July. It is expected that col-
leges will send the examination papers to the sec-
ondary schools early in November.
The College Board does not release grades directly
to students. Grade reports will be sent only to the
college designated by the student and to his second-
ary school, either of which may, if it so chooses,
reveal the grades to Advanced Placement candi-
dates. Students will be notified by the college of its
decision about advanced placement or credit.
8
Page 344
College Board Advanced Placement Examinations
c/o Educational Testing Service
Box 592
Princeton, New Jersey
Since some confusion seems to exist regarding the fees to be collected and the
portion of these fees which schools will be permitted to withhold, to cover the
coordinator's retainer and to assist with administrative expenses, the following
examples are provided by way of amplification and illustration of the fees and
honoraria discussed on pages 5 and 6 of Information for Coordinators.
Situation No. 1: School "A" has one candidate ⟦line⟧ takes one examination
Candidate pays school "A" $ 5.00 registration fee
⟦line⟧ 8.00 examination fee
$13.00 Total Candidate Fees
School "A" is permitted to withhold: for coordinator's retainer $5.00*
for administrative expenses 1.00
Total School Withholding $6.00
School "A" will be billed ⟦line⟧ $7.00
Situation No. 2: School "B" has three candidates who take a total of three tests.
(one in English, one in Mathematics)
Candidates pay school "B" $5.00 each for registration $15.00
$8.00 each for examination 24.00
Total Candidate Fees $39.00
School "B" is permitted to withhold: for coordinator's retainer $5.00*
plus $1.00 per examination
administered for administrative expenses 3.00
Total School Withholding $8.00
School "B" will be billed ⟦line⟧ $31.00
*It is intended that coordinator receive at least $5.00. This may or may not
be supplemented by use of administrative expense money at the discretion of
the school.
[Signature] John R. Valley
[Signature] CEEB Program Director
December 2, 1959
Page 346
College Entrance
Examination Board
A GUIDE TO
THE ADVANCED
PLACEMENT
PROGRAM
1959-60
[Stamp] ⟦illegible⟧
Page 347
1959-60 examinations summary
Administration: The Advanced Placement Examina-
tions will be administered to students by their
schools for the first time in May 1960. In previous
years the examinations were given at centers estab-
lished by the College Board. Each school will be
asked to designate an Advanced Placement Exam-
inations Coordinator who will make all arrange-
ments and conduct the administration of the
examinations. Participating schools will receive all
examination materials and administration instruc-
tions from the College Board. Part of the examina-
tion fees, which the schools will collect, will be
retained to help cover school expenses and as an
honorarium. Students at schools where the exam-
inations will not be available will be referred by the
College Board to schools where they will be given.
Subjects: Examinations are offered in the following
subjects: Literature and English Composition (one
examination), American History, European History,
French, Intermediate German, Advanced German,
Latin 4, Latin 5, Spanish, Mathematics, Biology,
Chemistry, and Physics.
Examination dates: May 16-20, 1960.
Fees: $5 registration plus $8 for each examination
taken.
Inquiries: All correspondence concerning the exam-
inations should be addressed to:
College Board Advanced Placement Examinations
Box 592, Princeton, New Jersey
Copyright 1959 by College Entrance Examination Board
The Program
The College Entrance Examination Board offers
the Advanced Placement Program in the interests
of able students; in the interests of secondary
schools which enable these students, while still
in secondary school, to undertake work on the
college level commensurate with their abilities;
and in the interests of colleges that welcome
incoming students who are thereby prepared for
courses more advanced than those usually
studied in the college freshman year.
Descriptions of the college-level courses in 11
subjects are provided by the Program in its
book, the Advanced Placement Program Syllabus.
Through the Director, the College Board en-
courages and advises secondary schools in the
introduction of these courses. It also offers for
students who have taken these courses Advanced
Placement Examinations that are based on
courses described in the Syllabus. Both the
course descriptions and the examination in each
subject are written by a committee of school and
college teachers of that subject. In turn, colleges
consider for credit and advanced placement
those students who have taken the courses and
the Advanced Placement Examinations. The
Program is thus an effective instrument of
cooperation between schools and colleges which
seek to enhance the educational opportunities
open to able and ambitious students.
Page 348
Origins
The Advanced Placement Program grew out of
two experiments supported financially by the
Fund for the Advancement of Education. It
continues the School and College Study of
Admission with Advanced Standing, and re-
flects many of the basic ideas and much of the
underlying philosophy of the School and College
Study of General Education. Both of these
studies date from the early 1950's—and were in
essence formalizations of earlier traditions.
College Board
The Advanced Placement Program is in its
fifth year as a project of the College Entrance
Examination Board. The Program operates
through a Director who works with a general
supervisory body, the Committee on Advanced
Placement. The College Board itself is a member-
ship association founded in 1900 and composed
of a membership of colleges and universities,
schools, and educational associations.
Educational Testing Service
In its operation of the Advanced Placement
Program, the College Board has the help of
Educational Testing Service, an independent,
nonprofit agency with headquarters in Prince-
ton, New Jersey. Educational Testing Service
provides and grades the examinations, as well
as offers administrative services involved in
the Program.
College-level courses in schools
The Advanced Placement Program begins with
courses on the college level given in secondary
schools to able and ambitious students. A school
that wishes to undertake such advanced work
does not need to secure permission to do so,
but it should be sure that it understands the
Program. Teachers who are setting up college-
level courses should read the course descrip-
tions in the book, Advanced Placement Program
Syllabus. They are also advised to get in touch
with teachers in schools offering advanced work
and with the appropriate departments in the
colleges which many of their students enter. In
addition, teachers are encouraged to write to the
Director at the address given on p. 11 for any
assistance he may be able to give.
Small schools have made successful arrange-
ments for college-level work through individual
instruction of a tutorial nature.
Advanced Placement Examinations
Thirteen Advanced Placement Examinations,
based upon the courses described in the Ad-
vanced Placement Program Syllabus, are offered:
Literature and English Composition (one exam-
ination), American History, European History,
French, Intermediate German, Advanced Ger-
man, Latin 4, Latin 5, Spanish, Mathematics,
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
Each examination is prepared by a committee
of five teachers, three from colleges and two
from secondary schools, with the assistance of
Page 349
testing specialists on the Educational Testing
Service staff. The members of these committees
of examiners are appointed by the College Board.
Students are allowed three hours to complete
each examination. Essay questions prevail, but
are supplemented in some of the examinations
by questions of the multiple-choice, objective
type. Each modern language examination in-
cludes a listening comprehension section that
uses tape recordings to test the student's ability
to understand the spoken language. Those parts
of the May 1959 examinations which consisted
of questions of the essay type may be purchased
in sets (see p. 10).
Since these examinations are based on college-
level courses, students who have not had special
preparation beyond regular secondary school
work are advised not to take them unless advised
to do so by their teachers. Students are urged
to discuss their plans with their teachers.
In 1959-60, the examinations will be given
during the week of May 16 to May 20 by schools
throughout the country. Schools outside the
continental United States which arrange to do
so may also administer the examinations. Most
students will take the examinations in their own
schools; some, whose schools are not giving the
examinations, will take them in local participat-
ing schools. Students who are unable to make
these arrangements may write to the address
given on the inside front cover. Fees for exami-
nations given in the schools are $5 for registra-
tion and $8 for the examination in each subject
and will be collected by the school. Of the fees
collected, the school retains $5 plus $1 for each
examination it has given. The amount retained
is intended to help cover its costs in giving the
examinations and as an honorarium.
For those students who cannot take the exam-
inations at a nearby school, the examinations
will be given at special centers for an additional
special administration fee of $10 for each ex-
amination.
In the fall of each year, schools are asked if
they expect to have students who will wish to
take Advanced Placement Examinations the
following spring, and how many examinations in
each subject they estimate their students will
need. Estimates of the number of students who
will take the May 1960 examinations should be
received by the College Board no later than
December 10, 1959. Any school which does not
now regularly receive Advanced Placement Pro-
gram announcements may do so by requesting
the addition of its name to the Program's
mailing list.
Reading the examinations
A committee of readers for each examination
grades the essay portions of the examination
papers in June. Composed of teachers from
schools and colleges throughout the country,
these committees are appointed by Educational
Testing Service. At least one person holds joint
membership on the examining committee and
the reading committee in each subject to insure
easy communication between the groups writing
and grading the examination.
Page 350
Examination papers are graded on the follow-
ing five-point scale: 5—high honors, 4—honors,
3—creditable, 2—pass, 1—fail.
Colleges make their decisions
The materials supporting a candidate’s request
for credit and placement are sent only to the
college which he is entering. These materials,
which are received in July by the college, include
a school report which gives a description of the
advanced course or courses taken, the course
grades, and the school recommendation regarding
college credit or placement. The college also
receives an Advanced Placement Examination re-
port which includes examination questions, the
student’s paper, the grade given him by the read-
ing committee, and interpretive information on
examination grades. The student’s examination
grade or grades are also reported to his school
in September. However, any school that wishes
to receive the examination grades earlier may
request them after they have been released to
colleges in July.
Each college makes its own decision regarding
credit and advanced placement. The record indi-
cates very clearly that almost all colleges entered
by Advanced Placement students do give ad-
vanced placement to those students who have
performed satisfactorily in college-level courses
in school and on the examinations. The majority
of these colleges grant credit as well as place-
ment to qualified students.
Results
Most Advanced Placement students to date have
taken college-level courses in school in only one
or two subjects. Very few, therefore, plan to
finish college in fewer than four years. They
have enriched rather than accelerated their edu-
cational programs in both school and college.
It is possible, however, for some students
actually to shorten their college careers. The
number of such students is likely to be small, for
they will have begun their acceleration as very
able performers in three or more college-level
courses in school. Most of them will go on to do
graduate work.
Reports from individual colleges indicate that
Advanced Placement students have done very
well academically. It is worth noting that these
students have also maintained an above-average
level of extracurricular activities in school and
college.
The College Board has received much favor-
able testimony about these students from both
colleges and schools. Research on their per-
⟦f⟧ormance and other aspects of the Program is
⟦p⟧lanned for the coming years, as the number of
⟦s⟧tudents and institutions interested in the Pro-
⟦g⟧ram continues to increase.
Given in the following table are the growing
numbers of schools, students, and colleges par-
ticipating in the Program over the last six years.