Utilizing course grade data from 22 four-year higher education institutions, this study highlights the trends in first-year grade point average (FYGPA) between the 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 academic years, the period immediately before and after the pandemic disrupted both K12 and higher education. Results showed that while FYGPAs generally…

This pilot study examines digital SAT® score relationships with first-year college performance. Results show that digital SAT scores predict college performance as well as paper and pencil SAT scores, and that digital SAT scores meaningfully improve our understanding of a student's readiness for college above high school grade point average…

Over the past several years, content experts, psychometricians, and researchers have been hard at work developing, refining, and studying the digital SAT. The work is grounded in foundational best practices and advances in measurement and assessment design, with fairness for students informing all of the work done. This paper shares learnings from…

Admission offices at colleges and universities often use SAT® scores to make decisions about applicants for their incoming class. Many institutions use prediction models to quantify a student's potential for success using various measures, including SAT scores (NACAC, 2016). In March 2016, the College Board introduced a redesigned SAT that better…

In recent decades, the United States economy has undergone a dramatic shift to a knowledge-based economy that, when coupled with simultaneous, rapid globalization, has created a greater demand for a more educated and skilled workforce. The share of U.S. jobs requiring some level of postsecondary education is expected to grow to 63% in the next…

In February of 2013, the College Board announced it would undertake a redesign of the SAT® in order to develop an assessment that better reflects the work that students will do in college, focusing on the core knowledge and skills that evidence has shown to be critical in preparation for college and career. The redesigned test will be introduced…

In 2011, the College Board released its SAT college and career readiness benchmark, which represents the level of academic preparedness associated with a high likelihood of college success and completion. The goal of this study, which was conducted in 2008, was to establish college success criteria to inform the development of the benchmark. The…

This brief gives an overview of the prevalence, causes, and consequences of college remediation, which aims to improve basic literacy skills among college students.

The ability of the United States to remain competitive in the expanding global economy will require a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce than ever before. Most of the jobs in the fastest-growing industries will require individuals with some postsecondary education. As such, there is a need to engage students in an effective college- and…

This annotated bibliography contains summaries of research studies examining a number of College Board assessments and programs. To be included in the bibliography, each study needed to meet a number of criteria. First, articles must have been published (as a College Board research report, in an external journal, or as an ETS research report).…

Presented at the AP Annual Conference (APAC) in Las Vegas, NV in July 2013. This analysis takes a close look at first-generation Advanced Placement® (AP®) test takers to better understand the needs and challenges they face on their path to college. The analysis focuses on college-bound AP test takers who also took the SAT and examines a variety of…

This report presents a methodology for the creation of a PSAT/NMSQT test score benchmark to identify students who are on track toward college readiness when completing high school. The proposed benchmark could create useful early indicators of whether students in grades 10 and 11 are on track to be college ready upon high school graduation. Two…

A recurrent trend in higher education research has been to identify additional predictors of college success beyond the traditional measures of high school grade point average (HSGPA) and standardized test scores, given that a large percentage of unaccounted variance in college performance remains. A recent study by Wyatt, Wiley, Camara, and…

In 2011, the College Board developed the SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark to assist educators and policymakers in their efforts to better evaluate the college readiness of their students. This benchmark was designed to identify the point on the SAT score scale that is indicative of students' having a high likelihood of success in…

In the fall of 2014, students took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to help determine their level of readiness for college. The PSAT/NMSQT 2014 State Summary Reports summarize the characteristics, scores and educational plans of the Class of 2016 and Class of 2017.