Predictor Variables; *Selection; Test Validity;

A battery of 11 nonverbal tests were administered to a sample of 2,362 non-prior service enlistees who had been selected to one of seven technical schools. The usefulness of additional aptitudinal and educational data was also investigated. The number of significant relationships between certain nonverbal tests and final technical school grade varied as a function of mental category and career field. When all nonverbal tests were used as a composite, significance was found in all courses for the total group and in three of five courses for the lower mental ability groups. On cross-validation the number of significant relationships between the nonverbal composite and final school grade were reduced to four total group courses and one lower ability group course. When added to the selector aptitude index (Al), the nonverbal tests made a significant and unique contribution to the prediction of technical school success over and beyond the selector Al alone. Further investigation indicated that additional aptitudinal and educational data added significantly to the prediction system in some courses. Results indicate that the use of nonverbal tests as well as other aptitudinal and educational data could make a significant contribution if added to the operational selection and classification battery. (Author