ABSTRACT
Who were the kids on the north hall? Officially, they had been chosen because
of their mix of good standardized test scores, their performance in an essay or
a creativity test, their profiles on a developmental test, and recommendations
from their middle school teachers. According to an undated report entitled
“[Pathfinder], In-Depth Study,” from the early 1980s, criteria for admissions
included “intellectual ability, the process of creative thinking and leadership
potential.”6 Intellectual ability was generally measured by nationally normed
achievement test scores, with the 85th percentile as the desired cutoff. Strict
use of the numerical standards for admission was mitigated by consideration
of a student’s race, the quality of the student’s previous school, the student’s
home language, and such abstract qualities as creativity and leadership. These
latter qualifications permitted consideration of the student’s overall strengths
and weaknesses, not just a set of indicators. Motivation to enter such a pro-
gram weighed heavily, especially at the high school level. Equally important
was the match between a student’s learning style and the philosophy behind
the program.
