Number 193 (Story #3), September 6, 1994 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS, as it pertains to grant applications at large federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, has received a favorable audit from the Government Accounting Office (GAO). Notwithstanding periodic complaints about various perceived biases, a new GAO report finds that factors such as an applicant's geographical location, his academic rank, and his department's prestige, are largely not related to the subsequent review score. Application reviewers from elite institutions seem actually to be underrepresented relative to the number of applicants from those same institutions. (Copies of the report, GAO/PEMD-94-1, can be requested by calling 202-512-6000.)