Examination of selection criteria for a program in occupational therapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the results of preselection interviews in combination with preselection academic performance offer better predictions of academic performance in occupational therapy than either of these criteria taken singly. The sample consisted of 48 high school students and 31 university students admitted to the program in occupational therapy at the University of Western Ontario from 1978 to 1980. The results indicated that for university students, previous academic performance alone was the best predictor for their performance in first-year occupational therapy. For high school students, the combination of 5 of the 12 interview items with previous academic performance produced the best predictor of successful academic performance in occupational therapy. This implies that for high school students at least, the interview and previous academic performance should both be considered as important selection criteria.