Generalizability of GMAT® Validity to Programs outside the U.S.

Abstract

This study explores the predictive validity of GMAT® scores for predicting performance in graduate management programs outside the United States. Results suggest that the validity estimates based on the combination of GMAT® scores were about a third of a standard deviation higher for non-U.S. programs compared with existing data on U.S. programs. There also appeared to be differences for separate GMAT® sections such that verbal and writing scores had higher validity estimates for non-U.S. programs, but the validity estimates for quantitative scores were higher for U.S. programs. By meta-analytically combining data for more than 1,200 cases across six Western European programs, this study was able to explore the predictive validity of GMAT® scores for students with differing backgrounds, including gender, educational background, native language, and citizenship. The analyses show that predictive validity differences among groups have only a small impact on academic performance measured by grades.