Whether the current post-16 qualifications system in the UK is fit for purpose has long been under discussion, with many calling for a broader, more interdisciplinary approach to preparation for university. This paper examines the relationship between post-16 (A-level) qualifications and degree success for students on the University of Exeter's…

In 1997 the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) partnered with countries around the world to design the ambitious and innovative Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Beginning in 2000, and every three years since, OECD/PISA has assessed 15-year-old students in participating countries to gauge the extent…

The authors report on the discovery of a nineteenth century document that illustrates an early example of educational measurement, namely the "Scale-Book" developed by George Fisher (1862). The text of Fisher's document is appended. (TJH)

A study of 557 medical students investigated gender and age differences in: undergraduate science and cumulative grade-point averages (GPAs), medical college admission test scores, admissions interview ratings, medical school GPAs, and standardized medical achievement test scores. Dramatic differences were found in pre-admission performance, with…