Until a comparatively recent time, examina tions for entrance were general. But with the widening of the college and high school curric ula, the introduction of the elective system and the absorption of the academies into the public school system, the old division between the secondary schools and colleges tended to break down. In 1870 Michigan began the system of accrediting schools (adopted from the Prussian State system) from which _pupils might be ad mitted to colleges without further examination. This plan has been adopted by all of the col leges and universities except a few of the more conservative ones, listed above. The certify ing body varies. Sometimes it is the college or a group of colleges. In New York, Minne sota and elsewhere certification is con trolled by the State. The admission by certificate from schools does not include those students from non-accredited schools, nor those prepared bir private tutors. The argu ments in favor o this form of admission are: That it brings a close union between school and college; that it lifts the high school standard; that it equalizes instruction in high schools for students not preparing for college; that the evil of crainaung for examinations is obviated and the student studies the subject per se; that the record of four years' work is a fairer test than examinations taken under strange con ditions; that it secures a better grade of pupils than the examination system. Those in favor of the examinations argue that they raise the standard of work in secondary schools; keep the college up to a high standard of admission; that they really test the student's proficiency; that even though conducted under strange and unusual conditions, they do not rate the student unfairly; that the privilege of certification is abused by principals; that competent inspecdon of secondary schools being difficult and costly, poor schools often remain on the list; and lastly, that examination procures a better type of student for the college. All of these argu ments are matters of opinion, and remain to be proved.
One of the most effective and far-reaching movements in this whole field is the work of the College Entrance Bxamination Board, an association of colleges and preparatory schools for the purpose of establishing: (1) A fair degree of flexibility in high school and college curricula and college entrance requirements; (2) uniformity in standards of high school and college; (3) adequate and uniform administra tion of policies. The first effort grew out of a
conference of New England colleges in 1879, since when it has enlarged its work and scope considerably. Various local college entrance examination boards have been formed, central ized under the National C,onference Committee on Standards of Colleges and Secondary Schools, composed of delegates from the various boards, and the United States Commissioner of Education. This committee publishes a state ment of the ground which should be covered by secondary schools and arranges for an im partial marking of examination papers. Its report for the year 1915-16 shows the excellent progress of the accredited school system of ad mission. A modified plan, which involves both certification and examination, was adopted as an alternative by Harvard in 1911, by Prince ton and Yale in 1915. In June 1916 the ex aminations prepared by the College 'Entrance Examination Board were adopted as the stand ard of admission for all colleges represented on the Board. The advantages of this centraliza tion are: (1) That the papers embody a wider range of preparatory training; and (2.) it gives the university a much wider distribution of its examination papers. The new method will go into effect at Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley in 1919.
Bibliography.— Broome (College Entrance Requirements) (New York '1903) ; Eaton, (Col lege Entrance Requirements) (Boston 1893-94, 1900); Henderson, J. L., 'Admission to College by Certificate) (New York 1912) (contains a good bibliography) • Nightingale, A. F. (in School Review, Vol. p. 449, p. 343; Vol. VI, p. 344; Vol. IX, p. 316; Vol. III, p. 92, Vol. V, p. 233) ; Harvard Reports on English (Cam bridge 1896); Modern Language Notes (Vol. XIII, p. 259) ; Mann, C. R., (in Educlation Re view (Vol. XLVIII, p. 150). Consult also the various publications of the College Entrance Examination Board and the Fourth Annual Re port of the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad vancement of TeacWng.