Predicting the academic performance of Asian, black, and Hispanic optometry students

As optometry schools receive increasing numbers of Asian, Black, and Hispanic applications, it is appropriate for us to ask whether minority students differ in meaningful ways from nonminority students in measures used in admissions, and whether these variables have differential validity in predicting their achievement in optometry school. This study compares Asian, Black, Hispanic, and nonminority students at entry to the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) from 1981 through 1986 and tests the validity of admissions indices to predict optometry grades, academic dropout, and high-level achievement for these ethnic groups. Although preoptometry grade point average (GPA) was the best predictor of optometry grades for all students, measures of verbal ability were additional predictors for Asian students and, for Black and Hispanic students, ability in study/reading and math were predictors. In addition, personality inventory measures and ratings of the competitiveness of the undergraduate institution were important in differentiating minority academic dropouts from retained students. Suggestions are made for optometry college programs which will enhance the probability of success for minority students.