Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Lower SAT sco: prompted Engl By ALICE WENNER Gamecock Staff Writer In recent years, there has been a significant fall in the SAT scores of college bound freshman. Scores at USC have been no exception to this trend , and statistics in dicate that scores at USC are comparable to other colleges. Arthur S. West, USC admissions director, said the minimum required score for consideration to USC is a verbal score of 350. But, the particular entrance depends on other factors, such as high school grades. "THESE REQUIREMENTS have not changed for about four years. We had no requirement on the verbal before that." he said. Nationwide, the average SAT scores rose to a high in 1963, but scores have been falling significantly since then. In 1966, the, averages were verbal 466, math 492. In 1970, the average verbal score was 455 and math was 488. Last year, figures dropped to a verbal 434 and math 472. Although this year's USC statistics are not in yet, West said the average freshman scores have been falling about the same as scores all over the country. ABA panel b ., begins probe By MICKEY TRIMARCHI Gamecock Staff Writer An investigation into the con troversial USC Law School ad mission procedures will begin today with a closed-door meeting of a four member team. Headed by Dean A. Kenneth Pye, of Duke University, the committe of the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA) will launch its probe after a request to investigate the con troversial admission procedures of the USC Baord of Trustees. The Board lowered the entrance requirement of 14 students into the Law School in August. Other committee members in- M e cdude John Germany, an attorney from Tampa, Dean Monrad By CATHERIN Paulsen, of the University of Gamecock Staf Virgia School of Law and J- The newly fou Dickson Phillips, of the University of is in stable final North Carolina School of Law. report in a natic Consultant to the committee, American medi James P. White, of Indianapolis, financial troubl said the group will "hear the certain A .recent iss' facts reported to the ABA from all soaring energy interested parties, and on that basis, drying up of f theoCouncil will draw its con- many me ydic4 Owen Clary,e "We (the committee) will be for the Veter available to hear any information Columbia , said that is pertinent to the issue." anticipated at ti After today's memeeting, the CLARY, WHO committee wil begin to write its aware of a report and forward it to the 19- depletion at the member council by Oct.17 . All is the first I's information pertaining to the case problems in the will remain confidential, in com- The magazin pliance with ABA regulations. vulnerable scho res ish 100 "There are any number of reasons for this decline," he said. "Mostly, I think it's because there are a lot more people going to college. A broader segment of people taking the test results in a broader base of ability being measured. The more people who take the test, the more likely the scores are to go down." BECAUSE OF this decline and the overall feeling that many students are less prepared for college material, USC has developed special courses to help students. One such course is English 100 or the Fun damentalsof Composition . "We are now requiring those students with a verbal score less than 390 to take courses such as it," West said. Erika Lindemann, head of the English 100 program, said the course is designed as a building block process that will give students the basic skills for college material. When the program was first offered, about three years ago, it was on a voluntary basis. At that time, 49 students were enrolled. Beginning with fall of 1974, however, enrollment was required and enrollment jumped tremendously. I school stable f E THRIFT nwybitoe hthv e Writerupoethpatdcdtoa nded USC Medical Schoolpuicryfrm edots" icial condition, despite a sm salse ntttosa nal magazine that manyprbesto cal schools are in deep CIE ASpofwrtone ze of New Times said so,adTml nvri costs, inflation and a Sho,i hldlha hc ederal aid has broughtthn40mlinnde. i schools close to Tml' eia rga ducational Liason officer i h tt eiltr ae v mn's Administration in adbisi u,temgzn no such problems were I diint h iaca i ie USC Medical College. temgzn adta e said his office would be shoshdsfee eetst ubstanctial financial t i rset fot med school, said, "This ceiain e hearr' of any such Svrlpoet o e country."scol,smlrtthUnvsi e said that the mostshlebeaeteicacs ls ereamog te u2 acrdiever e pslim.detoa public.cry.for.more.doctors," Admissions Director Arthur S. West said although the statistics for incoming USC freshmen have not been compiled yet, SAT scores have been falling about the same as scores throughout the county. "TO SOME extent the English department was accused of requiring the enrollment for their own benefit, Lindeman said. But, actually the course in creases the student's chance of staying in school. It is somewhat of a survival course." "I think we have a responsibility to the students. It is somewhat immoral to admit students for one semester and then allow them to flunk out. It isn't always the students'fault that they lack these skills. Most students tell us that the last time they had a grammar review was the eighth grade. High schools these days tend to em phasize literature more than grammar," she said. "Actually, I think this year's enrollment statistics indicate that the freshman are smarter than last year. Last fall there were 417 students enrolled in the coarse, this year there are only 406.That doesn't seem like a large decline, but we must consider that there are a lot more freshman here this year than last," Lindemann said. THERE ARE basicially two types of students enrolled in the course. Those that take it as a requirement or those who just want to improve she said. What a way to start the day. The driver of this overturned fork-lift truck looks on in disbelief. The accident oc. curred Tuesday in front of the Coliseum when a car cut in front of the truck. The truck went out of control when it attempted to brake on the rain-slick street. Fortunately, the driver escaped uninjured. I - inancially. 1 "thrown DESPITE THE reports, Clary iswer the maintained, "We (the VA ) deal only with although accredited schools, and I haven't heard e having of any problems." Clary added, "But I can only tell you v schools about South Carolina. If other states are , to close having problems, their own Veteran's v"s Med Administtration would have to say." is more Not all states are as secure as South . Carolina, according to the magazine.I is so in- Schools having trouble with finances and t survv accreditation can be found in Maine, rrthedb Tennessee, and West Virgina. ficulties, At least eight VA-based schools in ral med these, and other states, have been set acks due back or are floundering because of the iing ac- situation. "If any problems of this sort were to /A-based come up, our office would know a bout it. y's, were Clary reiterated. " And to our ror being knowledge, nothing like this has come up with the South Carolina Medical College."