DISCOVERING AND DEVELOPING THE COLLEGE POTENTIAL OF DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH, THE COLLEGE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. A REPORT OF THE FIRST YEAR OF A LONGITUDINAL STUDY.

THIS REPORT PRESENTS A 1ST-YEAR SUMMARY OF THE COLLEGE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INSTITUTED BY THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE AIM OF THE LONGITUDINAL PROGRAM IS TO IDENTIFY DISADVANTAGED AND UNDERACHIEVING NINTH GRADERS AND TO DEVELOP THEIR COLLEGE POTENTIAL IN SPECIAL HIGH SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT CENTERS. IN THIS 1ST YEAR, 579 STUDENTS WERE IDENTIFIED AND ENROLLED IN FIVE CENTERS WHICH PROVIDED SMALL CLASSES, BLOCK-TIME STUDIES, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND FULL-TIME COUNSELORS. THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SERVED AS CURRICULUM CONSULTANTS, AND COLLEGE STUDENTS TUTORED THE YOUTH. A SUMMER PROGRAM IN CONNECTION WITH THE "UPWARD BOUND" PROGRAM AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WAS ALSO PROVIDED. RESEARCH USING ACHIEVEMENT AND APTITUDE TESTS IS BEING DONE TO COMPARE THE DISADVANTAGED YOUTH TO REGULAR COLLEGE PREPARATORY YOUTH IN EACH OF THE FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS. THE CENTERS ARE ALSO BEING COMPARED ON SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS AND STUDENT TEST RESULTS. THE LONGITUDINAL STUDY OFFERS OPPORTUNITY FOR MUCH RELATED RESEARCH, SUCH AS STUDIES OF ATTITUDES AND SELF-CONCEPT OF THE SELECTED STUDENTS. (NS)