Affiliations: [a] Business Division, Bureau of the Census, US
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 70233, USA
Abstract: This paper compares subpopulations using aptitude scores obtained from a test
battery administered to the 1980 high school seniors in the base year survey.
The procedures and methods used to select the sample were designed to yield a
data base that can be statistically projected to represent the national
population of approximately 3,040,000 1980 high school seniors. Subpopulation
comparisons were performed to reveal the differences in aptitude scores by age,
sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and census region. The mean scores of
males and females were comparable, although males scored, on the average,
somewhat higher than females on the mathematics component. Asians/Pacific
Islanders scored higher than other racial/ethnic groups on all subtests except
Vocabulary and Reading, where whites scored somewhat higher. The mean scores of
whites were higher than those of either blacks or Hispanics on all measures
used. There were notable differences in the mean test scores of various Hispanic
subgroups, with the mean scores of Cubans exceeding Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, or
other Hispanics by a considerable margin. A positive correlation was encountered
between test scores and the socioeconomic status or level of education attained
by the examinee's mother. Geographically, students in New England had the
highest average scores, followed, in order, by those in the Middle Atlantic,
West North Central, East North Central, Pacific, Mountain, South Atlantic, East
South Central, and West South Central regions.
