An analysis of the trends of undergraduates' academic achievement based on their admissions type in Korea

This study investigates the establishment and benefits of the comprehensive admissions type recently introduced into Korean universities. We analyse undergraduate students' academic achievement and career readiness across three different admissions types in a medium‐sized university: rolling, comprehensive and regular. First, a series of mixed ANOVAs examined longitudinal changes for academic achievement and a set of ANOVAs found differences for academic achievement, within each semester. Specifically, students admitted via comprehensive admissions were found to have grade point averages (GPAs) similar to students admitted via regular admissions. Second, two‐way MANOVA examined students' career readiness by admissions type and academic standing. Students admitted through comprehensive admissions were found to exhibit a higher level of career readiness across academic years. The implications for admissions types in Higher Education are discussed.     

Adjustment in University Students Admitted by High School Recommendations as Compared with Their Classmates

ABSTRACT

Adjustment in university students admitted based on their high school counselors' or advisors' recommendation is an issue for revealing the appropriateness and fairness of the nontraditional admissions procedure. The newly-issued admissions procedure in Hong Kong has not been subject to empirical investigation. To evaluate the procedure, the present study surveyed 21 new students admitted by high school principals' recommendation and 29 of their classmates admitted by traditional means. They generated 93 cases from three waves of surveys over one year. Analysis of the data controlled for all available background and academic factors and random disturbances due to students and their groupings with their classmates. It revealed no significant effect due to nontraditional admissions on the student's grade-point-average, attachment, and adjustment in academic, social, and personal-emotional aspects. Moreover, detailed analysis discovered only a few significant differentials in the admissions effect due to background and academic factors. Thus, the nontraditional admissions procedure appears to be effective and fair.     

Gritting it out: The importance of non-cognitive skills in academic mismatch

I examine the importance of non-cognitive skills in the matching process in higher education in the United States. Across two longitudinal data sources, I show that students with lower non-cognitive skills are more likely to undermatch (enrolling in less selective colleges given their academic credentials) and less likely to overmatch. The application process drives the relationship between non-cognitive skills and academic mismatch, as students with low non-cognitive skills are less likely to apply to a well-matched institution. I further show that non-cognitive skills are strong predictors of Bachelor’s degree completion. I propose an alternative definition of undermatch, which additionally considers students’ non-cognitive skills. Under this definition, a smaller share of high-achieving students undermatch in higher education.     

Basic Competence in Mathematics: Swedish and English 16 year olds

The transition to mass participation in post-16 education, which had occurred considerably earlier in other European countries, has finally taken place in England. However, high drop-out and failure rates persist, particularly on vocational qualification routes. Our hypothesis is that an important factor is the lack of basic competence of lower-achieving English students in the key skills - English language and mathematics - required for success in further study. Our research addresses the validity of the argument by investigating whether any significant difference can be detected between the skills of English students entering post-compulsory education and those of students in countries where drop-out and failure rates are low. The country investigated in this study was Sweden where participation of 16 year olds in post-compulsory upper-secondary education is currently over 90%; and where some 90% of those enrolling normally obtain an academic or vocational qualification. Some General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) mathematics questions were incorporated into the national test taken by Swedish 16 year olds at the end of compulsory schooling; and significant differences were found in the scores of the lower 40% of the cohort in the two countries. The results are consistent with the hypothesis; and also go beyond previous Swedish-English comparisons, which reflect the general emphasis in international studies on younger age groups (typically 9 and 13 year olds).     

Do college admissions criteria matter? Evidence from discretionary vs. grade-based admission policies

This paper examines the implications of college admissions criteria on students’ academic and non-academic performance in university and their labor market outcomes. We exploit a unique feature of the admissions system at a large university in Singapore, the National University of Singapore, that has two admission tracks – a regular admission track where admission is based exclusively on academic performance and a discretionary admission (DA) track where applicants can instead gain admission on the basis of demonstrated non-academic qualities. Comparing students admitted through each track, we find that DA students fare similarly in terms of academic performance in university as marginal students admitted through the regular route. However, they are significantly more likely to be involved in optional academic and non-academic college activities and earn substantially higher labor market earnings up to three years after graduation. These results are not driven by the DA process differentially selecting students on the basis of family background or unobserved academic ability.     

“双一流”大学招生倾斜政策下弱势学生发展的追踪研究

倾斜性招生政策是近年来我国面向贫困地区弱势学生实施的重要举措。使用国内某“双一流”大学追踪调查数据,分析国家专项与高校专项两类学生的在学发展情况。研究发现,两类专项学生受惠于倾斜性招生政策得以被录取,尽管高考成绩显著更低,但在各类能力自评得分方面没有劣势。不过,进入大学后,国家专项学生在自我认知方面和高校专项学生在批判性思维发展方面的自评得分均存在显著劣势。此外,高校专项学生入学时的毅力优势也在大三消失。在学业成绩方面,受学业基础较差影响,两类专项学生大一课业成绩显著偏低,且均在人文学科方面表现不佳。国家专项学生所获得的高考降分越多,大一挂科率和挂科数均显著越高,平均成绩显著越低,且在人文学科中尤为明显。研究认为,“双一流”高校在制定和实施国家专项招生政策时,应根据各自往年生源情况科学分配各学科专项招生名额,给予专项生更多的志愿填报指导,尝试放宽专项生转专业限制,并为专项生提供富有针对性的发展支持,在保障弱势学生入学机会的同时,更好地促进其在大学期间的良性发展。     

Re-Examination of Traditional Admissions Criteria in Predicting Academic Success in a Counselor Education Program

The purpose of this study was to re-evaluate the validity of traditional admissions criteria—UGPA and GRE scores—in predicting academic success for students admitted to a counselor education program in the United States. In contrast to prior research, we also included the newer GRE-Analytical Writing scores in our analyses. In general, we found that both UGPA and GRE scores were useful for predicting both graduate grade point averages (GGPAs) and students’ scores on the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE). We also found that a discriminant model that included all four admission variables was useful for predicting program completion outcomes: successfully graduated, dropped out, or dismissed from the program. Implications for the admissions and screening process are presented.     

High scores but low skills

In this paper college admissions are based on test scores and students can exert two types of effort: real learning and exam preparation. The former improves skills but the latter is more effective in raising test scores. In this setting the students with the lowest skills are no longer the ones with the lowest aptitude, but instead are the ones closest to the borderline for college admission. Increased access to college leads to greater income inequality between college graduates and non-graduates. Overall, the ability to study for the test leads to higher expected test scores but lower skills.     

A study of academic persistence of science and technology university students in a Taiwan University

The graduates of high schools and vocational high schools in Taiwan have different ways to enter colleges and universities offering technology and vocational education programs. In this research, we have traced the 4-year academic performances of science and technology university students who have gained admissions through different channels. For students admitted through different channels, the research finds that the third year performance to be the poorest; academic performances differ for different means of gaining admissions; differ for each year; and differ for each university. We suggest that different teaching supplement, academic support program, and curriculum adjustment applied to students admitted to university through different channels.     

Early decision and college performance

This paper examines the relationship between admission status and college performance. In particular, we analyze admissions data from Hamilton College and find that students who applied through the Early Decision Plan II program have significantly lower GPAs and are less likely to receive departmental honors, fellowships, and outside scholarships than those admitted through the regular decision process. However, the results for Early Decision Plan I students are less consistent. These students have lower outcomes for some measures of academic achievement, but not others, than regular decision students.     

High school grades,admissions policies,and the gender gap in college enrollment

The female advantage in college enrollment and completion has generated concern among university officials and sparked debate about gender-conscious college admissions. There are a number of explanations for this increasing gender imbalance on college campuses. This paper focuses on the role played by admissions policies that base decisions solely on applicants’ high school grades. Given that females earn higher grades than males, such policies can contribute to growing female shares in admissions. To exemplify this trend, I use publicly-available data from Texas to show that the Texas Top 10% plan, which guarantees public university admission to students who graduate in the top decile of their high school class, led to an increase in the female share of accepted students. The increase was particularly large among black students, where the female share of admitted students was already highest among the major racial/ethnic groups.     

Centralized college admissions and student composition

Education markets are increasingly switching to centralized admission systems. However, empirical evidence of the effects of these transitions is scarce. We examine the consequences of introducing centralized admissions in the higher education market in Brazil. Using detailed administrative data, we exploit the staggered adoption of a centralized clearinghouse across institutions to investigate the impacts on student composition. Consistent with lower application frictions and higher competition, we find that centralization is associated with a decline in the share of female students and an increase in the average age of students. We also document that institutions under the centralized assignment attract students from other locations and with higher test scores. We present suggestive evidence that centralization increases stratification of institutions by quality, widening the gap between low and high quality institutions.     

Values of open admissions students,police students,and their teachers

This study compared the values of college open admissions students and of college police students to their teachers' values. It was found that for both groups new students differ from the faculty more than do advanced students, suggesting value changes in the direction of the faculty. Also found was no relationship between students' value similarity to the faculty and their academic success.     

Different Grounds for Admission: Its effects on recruitment and achievement in medical education

The purpose of this study is to examine effects of the admission system to higher education on background diversity of students and study efficiency. By using data from a longitudinal project, the students admitted to medical education on different admission grounds are compared. The results indicate that admissions based on upper secondary grades best promote the goal of diversity. In addition, those students perform nearly as well as those admitted via step‐wise procedures. The step‐wise procedures promote study efficiency, but tend to favour applicants with upper‐middle‐class and Swedish backgrounds compared to those admitted via grades. Those admitted on the basis of SweSAT scores perform more poorly than those admitted via grades and step‐wise procedures. Furthermore, the results indicate that admission via SweSAT scores contradict rather than promote the goals of increasing social, educational, and national diversity in higher education.     

Does Student Effort Respond to Incentives? Evidence from a Guaranteed College Admissions Program

This paper studies the effects of guaranteed college admission on student effort and achievement. In 1997, Texas enacted the “Top Ten Percent” law, which guarantees admission to any public college for students in the top ten percent of their high school class. In practice, eligible students become aware of their admission status at the end of their junior year in high school—more than 1 year prior to attending college. We use data from a large, urban school district and regression discontinuity methods to test for effects on effort. Our preferred estimates show that students who barely qualify for the admissions guarantee earn marginally lower grades and take fewer advanced courses in their senior year compared to students who do not qualify for guaranteed admission and learn their status in the final senior year term. We find qualitatively similar results when limiting our sample to finer bandwidths, although the estimates are imprecise.     

A reaction to the commentaries

In this chapter, conclusions are drawn and implications are suggested. Of the non-cognitive variables included in the study, the students’ Priorities were the most important in predicting GPA. In general, non-cognitive variables provided important information on admissions. Furthermore, explicit conceptual models, analyzed with relatively sophisticated statistical techniques, are needed to further our understanding of variables directly and indirectly related to college success.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of a College Freshman Seminar Using Propensity Score Adjustments

Researchers investigated the impact that a first-year college experience course had on students?? first-year grade point averages (GPAs) and retention rates. A sample of 109 first-year students enrolled in the course was compared to a sample of 326 students from the same university who had not taken the course. The goals of the experience course were to reduce attrition, increase grade point averages, and enhance academic skills. Without accounting for selection bias, those who took the course had similar retention rates and lower GPAs than those who did not take the course. After matching on propensity scores, the negative effects of the program on GPA were nullified and those in the program were more likely to enroll for a second year. Although the benefits from the course were weak, the positive impact of the program was more apparent after accounting for individual differences.     

Comparing Academic Readiness Requirements for Different Postsecondary Pathways: What Admissions Tests Tell Us

Ensuring postsecondary readiness is a goal of K‐12 education, but it is unclear whether high school students should get different messages about the required levels of academic preparation depending on their postsecondary trajectories. This study estimated readiness benchmark scores on a college admissions test predictive of earning good grades in majors associated with middle‐skills occupations at 2‐year postsecondary institutions. Results generally indicated similarity between those scores, the corresponding scores for students preparing for high‐skills jobs requiring a bachelor's degree, and established readiness benchmarks for the general college‐going population. Subsequent analyses revealed small variation between readiness benchmarks for different college majors. Overall, results suggest that high school graduates need a strong academic foundation regardless of the postsecondary path they choose.     

Signal detection theory as a tool for successful student selection

Prediction accuracy of academic achievement for admission purposes requires adequate sensitivity and specificity of admission tools, yet the available information on the validity and predictive power of admission tools is largely based on studies using correlational and regression statistics. The goal of this study was to explore signal detection theory as a tool to extend the available information; signal detection theory allows for comparisons of selection outcomes on both group and individual levels and the development of tailor-made criteria for specific programmes and admission goals. We investigated who would or would not have been admitted applying specific criteria for each of three common admission tools, how many admitted students would fail and how many applicants who would have been successful would be rejected. Both comparisons at an individual level and the receiver operating characteristic curves at a group level revealed that scores obtained in a programme-specific matching programme and non-cognitive factors appear more valuable than regression statistics suggest when it comes to admitting applicants who will become successful students. Signal detection theory allows not only for admission-goal-specific and programme-specific fine-tuning of the content of admission tools, it also informs about the effects of criteria and thus allows the setting of criteria.     

Evaluating deaf students' readiness to meet the English language and literacy demands of postsecondary educational programs

The purpose of this study was to investigate alternative methods for evaluating deaf students' readiness to meet the English language and literacy demands of postsecondary educational programs. In the first part of the study, scores obtained by a large sample of deaf students on the ACT Assessment (ACT Composite score and scores on the ACT English and Reading tests) were compared to their scores on various measures of English language and literacy skills. In the second part of the study, the performance of a smaller sample of deaf students on the ESL Reading and ESL Grammar/Usage components of COMPASS/ESL was compared to their performance on a set of concurrent measures of English skills. The results of this investigation demonstrate that neither the ACT Assessment nor COMPASS/ESL are appropriate for the full range of deaf students seeking admission to postsecondary educational programs. However, the ACT Assessment is appropriate for deaf students seeking admission to transferable (BS and AAS) degree programs, and the ESL Reading and Grammar/Usage tests appear to be appropriate for deaf students seeking admission to nontransferable (AOS) degree programs. Taken together, the combination of the ACT Assessment and COMPASS/ESL appear able to provide a valid, reliable, and coherent approach to admissions screening assessment for the full range of deaf students seeking admission to postsecondary programs.