Monitoring the University Admission Process in Spain

Abstract

The examinations taken by graduating high school students in Spain and the role of the results of these examinations in the university admissions process are described. Several issues related to the equity of the system are evoked: reliability of grading, comparability of grades and scores (equating), maintenance of standards, and compilation and use of composite scores. Studies to assess the reliability of graders and the impact of various types of imperfections in the grading system are proposed. Various schemes for score adjustment are reviewed, and the feasibility of their implementation, discussed. The advantages of pretesting items and of empirical checks of the judgments of experts are pointed out. The article concludes with an outline of a planned reorganization of higher education in Spain and with a call for a comprehensive programme of empirical research concurrent with the operation of the examination and scoring system.