Question

Of the following, which is the most appropriate use for an aptitude test?

A. Determining the effectiveness of a drug education program
B. Comparing a student's accomplishments in science to those of a national sample
C. Estimating the ability of a high school student for performance in college
D. Using performance on a language arts test to predict performance on a mathematics test

Answer 1

Aptitude tests are best used for estimating a high school student's potential for college performance, not for program evaluation, direct comparison of accomplishments, or cross-discipline performance prediction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate use for an aptitude test is estimating the ability of a high school student for performance in college. Aptitude tests, such as the SAT and ACT, are designed to measure capabilities and potential, which makes them suitable for predicting future success in a specific context like college performance. For example, research has shown that scores on the SAT have high predictive validity for first-year college students' GPA. In contrast, aptitude tests are not intended to determine the effectiveness of programs, directly compare a student's accomplishments to a national sample without considering potential, or predict performance in a different academic area.