ERIC Number: EJ1322083
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0895-7347
EISSN: N/A
Comparing School Reports and Empirical Estimates of Relative Reliance on Tests vs Grades in College Admissions
Sackett, Paul R.; Sharpe, Melissa S.; Kuncel, Nathan
Applied Measurement in Education, v34 n4 p240-250 2021
The literature is replete with references to a disproportionate reliance on admission test scores (e.g., the ACT or SAT) in the college admissions process. School-reported reliance on test scores and grades has been used to study this question, generally indicating relatively equal reliance on the two, with a slightly higher endorsement of grades. As an alternative, we develop an empirical index of relative reliance on tests and grades, and compare school-reported estimates with empirical evidence of relative reliance. Using a dataset from 174 U.S. colleges and universities, we examine the degree to which applicants and enrolled students differ on the SAT and on high school GPA in each school, and develop an index of empirical relative reliance on test scores vs. grades. We find that schools tend to select on test scores and high school grades relatively equally, with the empirical reliance index showing slightly more reliance on test scores and school-reported reliance estimates showing slightly more reliance on grades.
Descriptors: College Admission, Admission Criteria, College Entrance Examinations, College Applicants, Grades (Scholastic), High Schools, Grade Point Average, Scores
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: ACT Assessment; SAT (College Admission Test)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A