Since it did not seem advisable to lessen the rigorous nature of the course itself, as most of the students were able to profit from it, the practice was instituted of transferring the less well-qualified students from the General College Chemistry Course to the Elementary Chemistry Course. Some means of identifying the poorly prepared student Of the Department of Education in Brown University. was sought, and, beginning in the fall of 1930, the Iowa Chemistry Training Test was given early each year to all those who had studied chemistry previously, whether they presented chemistry for admission or not
On the basis of their poor showing on this single test, some students were advised to transfer to the Elementary Chemistry Course.