Graduate Record Examination Scores Research Articles

The Relationship between Cognitive Factors and Noncognitive Factors, Including Grit, and NBCOT® Exam Performance

This retrospective study examined the predictive ability of cognitive and non-cognitive factors, including grit, on first attempt pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam. A convenience sample of 226 graduates from six cohorts of one occupational therapy program was used. Binary logistic regression revealed that grit was not a significant predictor. Program grade point average and verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination scores were independent predictors of passing on the first attempt. These findings can be used to identify at-risk students who could benefit from support to increase student success on the licensure exam.

What Predicts Graduate Public Health Student Success? Evidence for Admission Committees in a Post-Affirmative Action Landscape.

A severe staff shortage and a dearth of professionals from underrepresented backgrounds in the public health workforce are contributing to poor health outcomes in the United States. Schools and programs can mitigate these problems by admitting more graduate public health students overall and from underrepresented backgrounds. We identified predictors of foundational graduate public health course grades and graduate grade point average (GPA), sharing evidence to remove application factors that are admission barriers and do not predict student outcomes. We conducted a linear regression analysis on demographic and academic factors from 564 graduate public health applications for students at the University at Buffalo who received their degree from January 1, 2016, to February 1, 2021, analyzing age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, undergraduate degree, verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE) percentiles, and undergraduate GPA. Outcomes were grades in foundational public health courses and cumulative graduate GPA. Undergraduate GPA was the best predictor of graduate public health student success, explaining nearly 7% of foundational public health course grades and 29% of graduate GPA. Higher undergraduate GPA contributed to higher course grades and graduate GPA. GRE scores explained <1% of student outcomes. Our findings add to the growing body of research showing that standardized test scores may not predict graduate student outcomes and provide further evidence for the field of public health to consider removing this admission barrier. By doing so, institutions could admit more students to graduate public health programs who can bring needed skills to the market, further diversifying the workforce and public health faculty, to better meet population health needs.

A Systematic Review of Variables Used in Physical Therapist Education Program Admissions Part 1: Cognitive Variables

Background and Purpose. Physical therapist (PT) education programs seek to identify applicants who will be academically successful in the program and pass the licensure examination. Part one of this systematic literature review aimed to understand the value of cognitive variables in PT education admissions. Methods. The initial literature search identified 1,592 articles in databases and relevant journals. Of the 39 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, 31 reported on cognitive measures. Results. Seven studies identified one or more sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as significant predictors of students' academic performance in PT programs. Ten studies reported that one or more sections of the GRE predicted National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) performance, wheres 4 studies found no significant relationship. Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) predicted academic performance in the PT program and on the NPTE in more than 10 studies, whereas 4 found no significant relationship. Other components of the academic record, such as prerequisite course grades, undergraduate institution quality, undergraduate degree, and retaking prerequisite courses, had varying relationships with academic and NPTE performance. Discussion and Conclusion. These outcomes appear to inform the policies and processes for admissions into PT education programs, evidenced by customary use of applicants' GRE scores and GPAs in admission decisions. The inclusion of both cognitive measures in admission decisions may help ensure that admitted students successfully manage the academic rigor of doctoral education and pass the NPTE.

The Predictive Validity of the GRE Across Graduate Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Trends Over Time

ABSTRACT This meta-analysis assesses the predictive validity of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) across outcome variables, including grade point average, for graduate students. In addition to aggregate effects, this paper also assessed changes in observed effects over time as related to increasing diversity in the graduate student population and as a function of gender and racial/ethnic composition of study samples. Framed using a lens of critical whiteness, this analysis examined n = 1,659 individual effects across k = 201 studies. Overall, 62.3% of reported effects were nonsignificant (i.e. no predictive value of GRE scores on student outcomes). Further, the magnitude of observed predictive relationships decreased significantly over time. The aggregate mean effect across all studies and outcomes was small, significant, and positive: GRE score predicted 3.24% of variance across measured outcomes, 4% of variance in overall GPA, and 2.56% of variance in first-year graduate GPA. Sample composition effects by race/ethnicity were notable under some conditions, but nonsignificant, with increasing proportions of people of Color within a study sample associated with poorer predictive validity for GPA. Likewise, the magnitude of negative effects where lower GRE scores predicted stronger student outcomes showed increasing trends from 0.16% of variance for all-white samples to 7.3% for samples comprised entirely of people of Color.

Current Dietetic Internship Admission Criteria and Selection Processes: Results From an Electronic Survey of Directors.

Members of the dietetics profession have been discussing and confronting the lack of diversity within the profession. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is committed to diversity and inclusion efforts. Our aim was to determine current admission criteria and practices used by Dietetic Internships (DIs) across the United States. This was a cross-sectional study using electronic survey with open and close-ended items conducted in the fall of2020. The electronic survey was distributed to 261 DI directors. Statistical analysis performed Descriptive statistics were calculated for each variable using SPSS software. Six topically related open-ended items were analyzed through a qualitative thematic approach. DI directors (n= 89) were primarily female (n= 76) and White (n= 77). Most admissions process and criteria decisions were made by committees. Directors (n= 79) reported using a predefined rubric/scoring system for candidate evaluation. Many (n= 60) indicated not using Graduate Record Examination scores. All reported considering Didactic Program in Dietetics' grade point average; personal statement quality; professional interests and goals; and type and quantity of previous dietetics-related work and volunteer experience. The admission factors rated (on a 7-point scale) most important were quality of interview (mean= 6.03), Didactic Program in Dietetics' grade point average (mean= 5.67), type of work and volunteer experience (mean= 5.62), quality of personal statement (mean= 5.5), recommender comments (mean= 5.41), and quantity of work and volunteer experience (mean= 5.40). Most (n= 80) indicated that they were satisfied with their selection processes. Educators should continue refining admissions processes as professional gatekeepers, consider reducing application fees, diversifying and training selection committees, re-evaluating admission criteria, and assessing how criteria weights.

Using third-party evaluations to assess socioemotional skills in graduate and professional school admissions

Consideration of socioemotional skills in admissions potentially can increase representation of racial and ethnic minorities and women in graduate and professional education as well as identify candidates more likely to succeed in graduate and professional school. Research on one such assessment, the ETS Personal Potential Index (PPI), showed that the PPI produced much smaller racial/ethnic-gender group mean score differences than undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) did. Across levels of institutional selectivity, the PPI can promote racial/ethnic and gender diversity in graduate and professional school in ways that UGPA and GRE scores do not. Predictive validity analyses showed that for doctoral STEM programs the PPI dimensions of (1) Planning and Organization and (2) Communication Skills positively predict school grade point average as well as a lower risk of academic probation, a determinant of degree progress, both alone and incrementally over UGPA and GRE scores. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15305058.2021.2019748 .

How Doctoral Students with Low GRE Scores Succeed: A Grounded Theory Study

Most U.S. graduate schools rely on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) to predict readiness for graduate degree programs and differentiate between applicants in verbal and quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills. Many times, low GRE scores create a barrier to entry into U.S. graduate programs despite research showing that selecting graduate applicants based solely on academic metric thresholds does not guarantee graduate student performance and many low scorers still attain a graduate degree on time (Miller et al., 2019b; Pacheco et al., 2017; Petersen et al., 2018; Wang et al, 2013). In this study, we used a constructivist grounded theory approach to develop a theory on how low GRE-scoring students managed to succeed in their graduate programs. Participants included 17 low-scoring yet successful doctoral students from seven universities across the U.S. The results show students’ self-determination and emotional and financial support and the university’s climate contribute to the success of doctoral students with low GRE scores. This study builds a theory that admission review boards and faculty members can use when weighing standardized testing admission requirements.

Predictive Value of GRE Scores and First-Time Pass Rate on the NBCOT® Exam at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Abstract Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. This presentation provides OT practitioners working in the academic setting with an overview of the admissions process used by an OT program and the importance of criteria for admissions, primarily the Verbal Reasoning section of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). A binary logistic regression was used to analyze the data to determine whether the GRE was a significant predictor of a first-time pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. The results were significant (p &amp;lt; .00) for the Verbal Reasoning section. Primary Author and Speaker: Don M. Bradley Additional Authors and Speakers: John Luna Contributing Authors: Roel Garcia

Seeing beyond a test.

The third time I took the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) was going to be my last, regardless of how I scored. I had long harbored dreams of pursuing a Ph.D., and I wanted to do well because the exam is key for admission to many U.S. graduate programs. But I couldn't afford to retake it, emotionally or financially. I was unemployed at the time and my partner and I were trying to get by on his postdoc salary. I'd taken the exam 7 years earlier, but my scores were so low I didn't even bother applying to Ph.D. programs. Now, I was giving it one more shot. > “I wonder what I'd be doing if the admissions committee had not overlooked my GRE scores.” I didn't know what standardized tests were until high school, when I immigrated from Colombia to the United States. I wanted to attend college so I took the American College Testing exam. Fortunately, my high school offered a free prep course and I managed to achieve good enough scores to get into college with financial aid. During my first year, I told my biology professor I was passionate about studying and protecting nature. He offered me a position in his lab, which taught me how to conduct research and what a career in academia looks like. Then, in my third year I was selected for a program that prepares undergraduate students from underrepresented groups for doctoral studies. As I neared graduation, applying to grad school felt like a natural next step. But then I took the GRE and bombed, testing below average in all sections. I couldn't afford to enroll in a prep course, which cost upward of $3000. Instead, I had studied using a $40 test prep book. As a native Spanish speaker, I found the verbal section demoralizing. But what was even more daunting was the way the test was administered: Correct answers were followed by harder questions. That affected me psychologically: When easier questions appeared, I assumed I'd gotten the previous question wrong. Convinced I would perform better and manage my test anxiety with more preparation, I took time off after graduation to study full time. But my scores didn't improve on my second try. My hopes of becoming a scientist vanished. Over the next few years, I took a series of temporary jobs. I worked in a molecular biology lab troubleshooting protocols. Then I moved to Brazil—a place I'd always wanted to live—and found jobs studying birds in the Amazon rainforest and curating specimens in a natural history museum. That connected me with professors in Brazil, where I was accepted into a master's program. After I defended my master's thesis, a paper on which I was the lead author—my first—was accepted for publication. Slowly, I began to see myself as a scientist. I wanted to continue down the academic path. So after my partner and I moved to Boston for his postdoc, I summoned the courage to give the GRE one last try. I studied for weeks and paid $205 to book an appointment. I remember how anxious I was as I walked into the windowless, dimly lit exam center, aware my performance that day could make or break my dream of pursuing a Ph.D. As the test proceeded, I thought it was going OK. But when my score appeared on screen immediately afterward, my stomach dropped. I'd scored even lower than my first two attempts. I felt defeated. Afterward, I reached out to a professor who I'd been in contact with before my exam appointment. I felt insecure and embarrassed about my scores, but our conversation left me reassured. He told me about research suggesting the GRE is a better measure of race, ethnicity, and income than academic ability, and he ended by saying, “I will go to battle for you in front of the admissions committee.” His confidence in my potential encouraged me to continue applying. Weeks later, when I received an offer from his university, I felt a mixture of excitement and disbelief. I was filled with joy, but I also couldn't believe how much time, energy, and expense it had taken to get into a Ph.D. program. Now in my third year, I have no doubt I am where I need to be. Still, I wonder what I'd be doing if the admissions committee had not overlooked my GRE scores. It pains me to think how many people are kept out of science not for a lack of talent, but because they didn't excel at a standardized test. Many graduate programs, including my own, have decided to drop the GRE requirement in recent years—and I hope many others will follow.

Examining Demographic and Preadmission Factors Predictive of First Year and Overall Program Success in a Public Physical Therapist Education Program

Introduction. Despite an increase in the rigor of entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program admission, programs still struggle with student retention and success. The purpose of this study was to examine demographic and preadmission factors predictive of first year and overall program success in an entry-level public physical therapist education program. Subjects. Retrospective data from 473 DPT students at the Texas Woman’s University in Houston, TX, who entered the program between 2010 and 2018. Methods. This study included the following predictor variables: last 60 hours undergraduate (UG) grade point average (GPA), UG math/science GPA, overall UG GPA, science/nonscience major, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) component scores, GRE summed score (GRE-S), size and type of UG institution (dichotomized), gender, age, and personal grit score. Success in the program was measured by first-semester GPA, cumulative third-semester GPA, final program GPA, three-tiered ranking of academic and clinical education (CE) standing, completion of first-year program, and completion of the entire 3-year program. Results. First-year program success (first-semester GPA, cumulative third-semester GPA, and first-year completion) was predicted by age, overall UG GPA, GRE-S, and all GRE components. GRE scores and UG GPA when entered together predicted 45.8% of the first-year GPA. Overall program success was predicted by UG GPA, GRE-S, and all GRE components. GRE-S and UG GPA when entered together predicted 34.8% of final program GPA. Academic standing was predicted by multiple predictors, whereas CE performance was only predicted by 2 components of the GRE and GRE-S. When comparing students who completed the program versus those who did not, significant differences were found in all GRE components and overall UG GPA. Receiver-operating-characteristics analysis was used to determine cutoff scores for the GRE and overall UG GPA, which best predict first-year and program retention. Conclusion. Admissions committees of DPT should analyze their program-specific data to better guide their admissions decisions. Overall UG GPA and GRE continue to be strong predictors of physical therapist program success. In order to increase retention rates, DPT programs should consider additional resources for students who may be at risk.

A Randomized Study to Assess the Effect of Including the Graduate Record Examinations Results on Reviewer Scores for Underrepresented Minorities.

Whether requiring Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) results for doctoral applicants affects the diversity of admitted cohorts remains uncertain. This study randomized applications to 2 population-health doctoral programs at the University of California San Francisco to assess whether masking reviewers to applicant GRE results differentially affects reviewers’ scores for underrepresented minority (URM) applicants from 2018–2020. Applications with GRE results and those without were randomly assigned to reviewers to designate scores for each copy (1–10, 1 being best). URM was defined as self-identification as African American/Black, Filipino, Hmong, Vietnamese, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. We used linear mixed models with random effects for the applicant and fixed effects for each reviewer to evaluate the effect of masking the GRE results on the overall application score and whether this effect differed by URM status. Reviewer scores did not significantly differ for unmasked versus masked applications among non-URM applicants (β = 0.15; 95% CI: −0.03, 0.33) or URM applicants (β = 0.02, 95% CI: −0.49, 0.54). We did not find evidence that removing GREs differentially affected URM compared with non-URM students (β for interaction = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.55, 0.29). Within these doctoral programs, results indicate that GRE scores neither harm nor help URM applicants.

Graduate Record Examination Scores as Predictors of First Time Success on the National Certification Examination in a Midwest Nurse Anesthesia Program

Graduate Record Examination Scores as Predictors of First Time Success on the National Certification Examination in a Midwest Nurse Anesthesia Program

Correlation between physician assistant students' performance score of history taking and physical exam documentation and scores of Graduate Record Examination, clinical year grade point average, and score of Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam in the United States.

PurposeLearning to perform and document patient history taking and physical exam (H&P) entails a major component of the first year academic education of physician assistant (PA) students at Wayne State University, USA. The H&P is summative of multiple aspects of PA education, and students must master communication with patients and other health care providers. The objectives of this study were first, to determine if there was a correlation between scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) component testing and scores on graded H&Ps. The second objective was to identify a correlation between proficiency with H&P documentation and academic and clinical year grade point average (GPA) and Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) score.MethodsSubjects included 147 PA students from Wayne State University from 2014–2016. PA students visited local hospitals or outpatient clinics during the academic year to perform and document patient H&Ps. Correlation between the H&P mean scores and GRE component scores, GPAs, and PANCE scores were analyzed.ResultsThe subjects were 26.5 years-old (+6.5) and 111 females (75.5%). There was no correlation between the GRE component score and the H&P mean score. The H&P score was positively correlated with GPA 1 (r=0.512, P<0.001), with GPA 2 (r=0.425, P<0.001) and with PANCE score (r=0.448, P<0.001).ConclusionPA student skill with H&P documentation was positively related to academic performance score during PA school and achievement score on the PANCE at Wayne State University, USA.

Predicting Clinical Success in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students

Purpose Admissions committees rely heavily on quantitative academic variables such as undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). However, the ability of these factors to predict the clinical success of speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate students has not been substantiated. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between academic variables (i.e., UGPA, major grade point average, GRE scores) and nonacademic variables (i.e., age, personality type, prior work experience in the field) and determine the degree to which each of these variables predicts clinical success. Method Data were extracted from academic records of 45 students enrolled in a graduate SLP program at a public institution of higher learning between 2014 and 2016. Descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients were used to identify the relationships between academic and nonacademic variables with clinical success. Results Correlation results did not identify a significant relationship between academic variables and clinical success as well as between nonacademic variables and clinical success. However, relationships between the academic variables and nonacademic variables were discovered. Predictive power of clinical success was not identified due to lack of correlations between the variables. Conclusions Academic variables (GRE, UGPA, major grade point average) nor nonacademic variables (age, personality type, previous work experience) were found to have a significant correlation to clinical success in SLP graduate students. There continues to be a lack of evidence in identifying individual variables as sole predictors for success in SLP graduate programs.

Student Experience Applying to Graduate School for Speech-Language Pathology

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to better understand the experiences faced by students during the application process for master's degree programs in speech-language pathology.MethodData were collected through administering an online survey to 365 volunteers who had applied to master's degree programs in speech-language pathology. Survey questions were designed to gain the student perspective of the application process through exploration of students' deciding factors for top choices of graduate programs, emotional involvement in the application process, biases/rumors heard, student challenges, advice to future applicants, and what students would change about the application process.ResultsFactors that influenced participants' reasoning for selecting their “top choice” programs were largely consistent with previous studies. Issues that shaped the student experience applying to graduate school for speech-language pathology included financial constraints, concern regarding the prominence of metrics such as Graduate Record Examinations scores in the admissions process, a perceived lack of guidance and advising from faculty, and confusion regarding variation among graduate program requirements.ConclusionGaining insight into the student experience with the application process for graduate programs in speech-language pathology yields useful information from a perspective not frequently explored in prior literature. While the data presented in this study suggest the process is confusing and challenging to many applicants, the discussion highlights practical solutions and sheds light on key issues that should be considered carefully by individual graduate programs as well as the field as a whole.

Prediction and Performance of Allied Health Students in Gross Anatomy

Given the foundational importance of gross anatomy in most allied health programs, understanding how to best predict student performance can be beneficial both to admissions and anatomy faculty. The purpose of this research is to better understand the relationship between admissions variables, pre‐requisite courses, and gross anatomy coursework in professional programs. We hope to determine what elements of prerequisites can possibly serve as performance predictors and which factors from prior coursework contributes the most to student success.With IRB approval, surveys were given at the start and end of the gross anatomy courses for occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) students. The surveys collected demographics, previous anatomy course information, predicted grades for the upcoming course, and Likert scale responses to questions regarding how previous anatomy coursework would assist students in the course. There were several open‐ended questions regarding prior clinical experience, study strategies, and asking if students would recommend a prior anatomy course. Admissions data were collected from the respective departments including Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and Grade Point Averages (GPA). At the completion of the courses, students' lecture and lab grades were reported by the course director. Analyses of the admissions data, prior anatomy coursework, and current gross anatomy grade data were done primarily through multiple variable linear regression, with t‐tests for comparison between cohorts. Open ended responses were analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach to generate codes and then themes across student responses.There was a 100% survey response rate for those students who completed the courses. Respondents consisted of 83 students, 51 from PT and 32 from OT. All of the OT students reported having previous anatomy coursework and 46 of 51 PT students (90%) reported having an anatomy course. Independent t‐tests showed that PT students performed significantly better than OT students (p &lt; 0.001) in both the lecture courses (MPT = 93.39, SE = .57; MOT = 85.97. SE = .97) and lab courses (MPT = 93.96, SE = .58; MOT = 88.80. SE = 1.02). Multiple variable linear regression showed that GRE Quantitative scores contributed significantly to the model (B = .400, p = .006) and when included with GRE Verbal, prerequisite GPA, and number of prior anatomy courses the model was significant, F(4,78) = 8.033, p &lt; .001 and accounted for almost 30% of the variance. Qualitative analysis showed the majority of students strongly recommended an anatomy course prior to pursuing an OT or PT graduate degree with the most common themes being the management of the volume of information and the importance to the profession. The outcomes serve to demonstrate the validity of admissions variables as predictors of course performance in gross anatomy as well as to determine students' opinions of the value of prior anatomy courses. Student insight into the value of previous anatomy coursework can possibly help guide anatomy educators, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, in determining the focus of their courses.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Current Practices and Perceptions of Admission Criteria at Physical Therapist Education Programs in the United States

Introduction. Entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the United States (US) have developed admission criteria (AC) to identify applicants most capable of program success; however, there is little evidence to support these criteria. The purpose of this study was to 1) gather data on the use and weighting of AC, 2) explore the perceptions of the value of AC, 3) explore a possible discrepancy between the use of AC and their perceived value, 4) determine whether differences in AC exist between programs with higher versus lower licensure pass rates, higher versus lower student retention rates, and across geographic regions in the US. Subjects. All DPT programs (N = 218) in the US accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education were eligible for recruitment in this study. The survey was completed by a program director, an admission committee chair, or a faculty member familiar with the program's admission process. Of the 218 programs invited to complete the survey, 73 responded with a response rate of 33.5%. Methods. An anonymous, 30-item survey was used for data collection. Descriptive and comparative statistical methods were used on the data as a whole and by subgroups. Results. Undergraduate overall grade point average (GPA), math/science GPA, or verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores were weighted heavily in admission decisions. The personal essay, volunteer hours, and letters of recommendation were not considered predictive of program success. There were significant differences in the proportion of programs that use the verbal and quantitative GRE scores when subdivided by licensure pass rate, either ≥95% or &lt;95% (P = .005 and P = .049, respectively). There were no proportional differences in the utilization or weighting of criteria when programs were divided by student retention rate, either ≥95% or &lt;95%. Geographic differences were found in the use and weighting of AC when comparing the West region with other parts of the US. Conclusion. Previous literature suggests that undergraduate GPA is the best predictor of success in a DPT program; however, this study found no significant differences between the use or weight given to the GPA on licensure examination pass rates or student retention rates. Programs may wish to reconsider requiring a number of criteria that were not weighted heavily or considered to be a top predictor of success in a DPT program, particularly those criteria that are resource intensive.

A Model for Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions That Decouples the GRE from Race, Ethnicity, and Gender.

Graduate schools around the United States are working to improve access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in a manner that reflects local and national demographics. The admissions process has been the focus of examination, as it is a potential bottleneck for entry into STEM. Standardized tests are widely used as part of the decision-making process; thus, we examined the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in two models of applicant review: metrics-based applicant review and holistic applicant review to understand whether it affected applicant demographics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. We measured the relationship between GRE scores of doctoral applicants and admissions committee scores. Metrics-based review of applicants excluded twice the number of applicants who identified as a historically underrepresented minority compared with their peers. Efforts to implement holistic applicant review resulted in an unexpected result: the GRE could be used as a tool in a manner that did not reflect its reported bias. Applicant assessments in our holistic review process were independent of gender, racial, and citizenship status. Importantly, our recommendations provide a blueprint for institutions that want to implement a data-driven approach to assess applicants in a manner that uses the GRE as part of the review process.

Is there a future for the GRE?

Each year about half a million people around the world with dreams of becoming graduate students take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Many graduate schools require the standardized test, which assesses skills in critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning, as part of their application process. Some schools also require a subject GRE, which tests knowledge in a particular field. But in the past few years, a number of graduate programs, particularly in the biomedical sciences, have decided to drop the GRE as a criterion. The trend, known on social media as #GRExit, is starting to catch on in chemistry graduate programs. Last year, at least six chemistry departments jettisoned the GRE requirement for students applying for the 2019–20 academic year. These departments point to the exam’s high cost, as well as results from recent studies that suggest GRE scores are poor predictors of grad school

Diversity problems in physics admissions

Scientific Community Physics is one of the least diverse fields within all of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM). Annually, in the United States, only 20% of physics Ph.D.'s are awarded to women and only 5% to people who identify with an underrepresented racial or ethnic category. Who achieves a physics Ph.D. depends on who is admitted, but considerable barriers to entry exist. Miller et al. compared admission and degree completion records from 27 U.S. universities and 3962 students. They found little predictive value in Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for Ph.D. matriculation. Despite the almost universal use of these scores in graduate physics admissions decisions, GRE scores had no statistically significant relationship to degree completion. Because GRE scores are unevenly distributed across race and gender, their use in admissions practices may be filtering underrepresented groups out of physics Ph.D. programs. Sci. Adv. 10.1126/sciadv.aat7550 (2019).