Fifth-graders, collegians equal in accounting.

• Position: Education - Brief Article

Gifted and talented fifth-graders are able to understand basic accounting nearly as well as college sophomores, maintains a case study from Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. Sixteen fifth-grade students scored almost as well as their college counterparts on a 15-question exam after both groups had completed an introductory accounting course, reports professor of accounting Gwen White.

The test included questions about definitions of assets, liabilities, owners' equity, net income and loss, and retained earnings. The average fifth-grader correctly answered 13 of 15 questions while the typical college student missed one. "This was not a difficult test, but these were very bright fifth-graders who understood basic algebra as well as how to deal with fractions and percentages," White marvels. "They had sufficient math and reading skills to grasp the basic concepts. The students demonstrated the necessary maturity and enthusiasm for...