Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) was one of many universities that adopted a test-optional admissions policy for the Fall 2021 incoming cohort. However, unlike many institutions that went to test-optional admissions out of necessity, the decision made by IUPUI faculty and administration was thoroughly considered, data…

This study examines U.S. national colleges and universities that have de-emphasized or eliminated ACT and SAT scores and have implemented test-optional policies for undergraduate admissions. The study investigates the test-optional admissions trend and provides a "pre-post" quantitative analysis of test-optional policy effects on the…

In light of the current discourse around the alleged discriminatory nature of the SAT and ACT exams against underrepresented minority students, and the increase in American institutions of higher education choosing to adopt test-optional freshman admission policies, this study sought to identify weather these policies are associated with changes…

This article uses quasi-experimental techniques to assess the relationship between test-optional policy implementation and the proportion of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White students among the 510 selective institutions in Barron's Ranking from 2006 to 2019. The findings could provide empirical evidence about the connections between test-optional…

In 2016, more than 1.6 million students took the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), a standardized college admissions test (College Board 2016a). Researchers have estimated that 33 percent of students who take the SAT participate in some mode of formal test preparation, such as private tutoring or classes, to prepare for the exam (Buchmann, Condron…

This article discusses the conflict that arises between rising enrollments and meaningful college learning. The author highlights data on students' response to the college environment, and offers a number of innovative ideas for fostering intellectual growth among a more diverse student body. These include: early declaration of major; rethinking…

The number of transfer students in U.S. postsecondary education has been growing. Of students who transferred from four-year institutions, 52 percent transferred to two-year institutions. Although transferring is an imperative for many students, little about the whereabouts of transfer students is known beyond descriptive statistics. Coupled with…

In 2007 and 2010, the National Research Council reported that the United States was not producing enough graduates in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive global economy. Despite recent challenges to these findings, one thing remains clear: Underrepresented…

Explaining that a new version of the SAT is scheduled to be administered for the first time in March 2005, provides a history of the SAT examination and discusses the proposed changes to the test in light of implications for college admissions. (EV)

A study to develop concordance tables between the new enhanced American College Testing Program (ACT) assessment and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), to establish new score relationships, is described. The scaling sample consisted of 40,051 students taking both tests and submitting them to 14 large universities. (Author/MSE)

Registrars and admissions officers across the U.S. will have noticed a gradual but definite increase in students bearing qualifications from CIE--University of Cambridge International Examinations. Most already recognize the Advanced Level (A Level) and Ordinary Level (O Level) qualifications; many are less familiar with IGCSE (International…

Two methods of estimating the predictive validity of college admissions tests are presented. The first is a multivariate extension of a method presented by Givner and Hynes. The second allows an estimate of the predictive validity of one variable assuming that the other variable is a nationally representative sample. (Author/MLW)

Several meanings of bias are examined, and evidence concerning the validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which has been widely criticized, is presented. Several forms of alleged bias are addressed, including underprediction of minority group college performance, bias in test use, measurement bias, and sex bias. (MSE)

A study examined the relationship between the colleges students select initially to receive their college entrance examination scores (high-choice set) and their choice of institution to attend (college-of-enrollment). Data were drawn from records of 105,000 students taking the American College Testing (ACT) examination and enrolling in 1994. A…

A study examined the appropriateness of two methods for relating the enhanced American College Testing Program (ACT) Assessment Composite and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) total scores: equipercentile concordance and regression. Study results, potential inaccuracies, and the usefulness of institutional concordances based on their own data are…