I definitely found this piece interesting…
“Former Dean of Admissions for Bates College William Hiss led [a] study which tracked the grades and graduation rates of students who submitted their test results against those who did not over several years.
Hiss’ data showed that there was a negligible difference in college performance between the two groups. Only .05 percent of a GPA point set “submitters” and “non-submitters” apart, and the difference in their graduation rates was just .6 percent.”
Amazing. We’ve been relying upon college entrance exams for years, saying that they more accurately communicate actual potential for academic performance than good grades will, as the latter may be harder or easier to achieve depending upon the school. Everybody can recall classes where easy-A’s were awarded. I also remember working in a school where almost all of the students got A’s and B’s in English, despite the school’s dismal performance on state proficiency exams and my own knowledge that the students were
not yet able to write functioning essays. (Students later told me that they appreciated learning how to write essays in my history class, because it saved them for when they did go to college.)
But in the end, I do remember that in the schools that I worked and the schools where I taught, the hardest workers were the hardest workers. The smart kids who didn’t apply themselves sometimes found a niche outside of the academic arena, but if they didn’t do anything, that talent went to waste. I also saw kids with average talent work their way to become huge successes.
So who would I want in my college program? The kids who maximize their talents in the environment to which they are exposed (and are nice people). It makes sense that GPA’s and recommendations would be a better indicator of this.
If college entrance exams diminish in importance, I’m comfortable seeing this shift. What I’d probably most like to see is a really meaningful high school exam that can serve as a performance indicator for our schools and our students, along with course performance. K-12 schools do need to measure their students to obtain some standardized information about the quality of education they are providing. Also, I similarly caution the college or university that quickly abandons the SAT/ACT indicator, as it’s also not good practice to select their students based on potentially watered-down A’s.
But it seems misguided to limit the academic opportunities of students who may not have had access to strong academic training in school systems; tests may not be a valid indicator of these students’ potential. This new study may be an important contributor to shaping the way post-secondary institutions select their candidates as we go forward.
