Aviation Selection Testing: The Effect of Minimum Scores on Minorities

摘要

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Aviation Selection TestBattery (ASTB) cutoff scores on racial/ethnic minority applicants to naval aviation. The data were obtained from the Naval Aerospace and Operational Medical Institute in Pensacola, Florida. The data consist of test scores and performance measures for student pilots from 1988 through 1994, including pilots who were selected by both the 1992 ASTB and the previous version of the selection test. The study simulates the effect of a higher cutoff score on the 'Old Test' portion of the data, then relates the findings to what may be occurring under present conditions. The results show that the 'selected' pilots performed at a higher level, but the representation of minority groups declined markedly. The 'deselected' pilots performed at a lower level and experienced higher attrition. The implication is that the relatively high cutoff score used by the Marine Corps may be improving the overall performance of selected pilots, but it may also be eliminating minority candidates at disproportionate rates. Further study of several options is recommended, including the following: additional selection procedures, intensified recruiting efforts, the use of selective waivers, and adverse impact analysis.