School Admissions Research Articles

Association of admissions factors with student performance in preclinical operative dentistry.

Admission to dental school is based on various factors including academic achievements in undergraduate coursework and the Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores. Students' success in an operative course requires fundamental knowledge, hand skills, spatial awareness, and self-assessment ability. The goal of this study is to evaluate how admissions factors, such as Grade Point Average (GPA) and DAT, including the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), relate to students' academic and preclinical performance and self-assessment skills in preclinical operative dentistry. A total of 239 students were included from seven class years (2016-2022). Third-year dental students participated in a preclinical operative dentistry course. At the end of the course, they took the final multiple-choice exam and performed four competency examination procedures: Class II amalgam preparation and restoration and Class III resin-composite preparation and restoration. Calibrated faculty graded students' work independently and students also self-assessed their performance using the same rubrics as faculty. Linear regressions were performed to estimate the association between the admission factors with the mean faculty scores (measuring preclinical performance), student-faculty (S-F) gap scores (evaluating self-assessment skills), and their final didactic exam scores. Overall, students' self-assessment was higher compared to faculty score. Linear regression analysis demonstrated positive correlations between the PAT and students' preclinical performance as well as between the DAT and their didactic exam scores. In general, S-F gap score decreased as PAT score increased, and it was statistically significant lower for the Class III preparation, indicating a better self-assessment skill. No correlations were observed between student performance and GPA scores. The findings from the association between student performance and admission factors may play an important role in the dental school admissions process and assist students who may benefit from early faculty intervention and support.

The lasting effects of historical racial divides in nursing education: A case study examining holistic admission policies development

BackgroundHistorically, in the United States, nursing programs reflected practices that systematically discriminated against Black students and nurses. ObjectivesThe authors investigated historical nursing school admission policies to determine if racist practices existed that impeded Black students' ability to access formal nurse training programs. This study further examined whether those historical discriminating practices continue to exist in schools of nursing today and if admission policies in a Southern School of Nursing contributed to inequitable admission of students. Current recommendations for increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in nursing schools will be addressed. MethodsThis study combines social-historical archival research with a case study of the racial breakdown of applied versus admitted nursing students at a Southern university. ResultsSchool of Nursing admission data (2019–2021) demonstrate discrepancies in the distribution of admitted students by race, reflecting the ongoing effects of systematic discrimination. ConclusionsIn the United States, the nursing profession is pursuing strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, the lingering effects of policies that systematically built barriers keeping underrepresented groups from earning a nursing education persist. Holistic admission is one way that nursing programs can address this inequity.

Physical Therapy Student Knowledge Retention from a Remotely Taught Anatomy Course

IntroductionA whole‐body donor anatomy course is a foundational learning experience for additional musculoskeletal courses for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. The summer 2020 human anatomy course at the University of Missouri was taught remotely with daily asynchronous and synchronous components. The DPT students were evaluated with online multiple‐choice lecture and picture‐based lab practical exams. Due to the novel nature of the course, student knowledge retention and interpretation of three‐dimensional anatomy is unknown.AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate student retention of anatomy knowledge from the remotely taught course, test if students can identify structures on anatomical donors in a laboratory setting that they previously identified on picture online exams and survey the students’ prior anatomy experiences.MethodsA 90‐minute in‐person laboratory session was held seven months after the completion of the remote anatomy course for first year DPT students. Students’ previous anatomical course work and opinions of remote and lab learning were assessed with a survey. Prior to entering the anatomy lab, the students completed a multiple‐choice retention quiz of eight questions from the four‐unit exams that all students previously answered correctly. During the laboratory session, students worked in pairs to answer fifteen questions and identify some of the same structures from the retention quiz on the donors.ResultsEvery student had taken at least one undergraduate course as a requirement for DPT school admission or as part of their major. All the students described benefits to a lab‐based anatomy course compared to a remote course and a majority emphasized the hands‐on and spatial learning in their comments. Most students (73.7%) also believed there were some advantages from the remote course, including having additional study time, cost savings, and more individualized learning. Fifty‐nine of the 60 students in the remote anatomy course took the retention quiz and the average score was 86.7% (range 62.5% ‐ 100%). Students performed well on the musculoskeletal questions on the lab identification quiz.ConclusionThe physical therapy students from this remote anatomy course had slightly higher retention scores than most studies of health professions students’, particularly in topics that were repeated throughout their first‐year courses.SignificanceThe study supports the importance of whole‐body donor anatomy lab learning for students and the importance of flexibility, and ample inclusive access to learning materials for students.

Gender bias in the medical school admission system in Japan

The 2018 Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) survey revealed discrimination against women in the admissions process of four Japanese medical schools, although it is not known how unusual the trend is for entire medical schools to enroll men and women. Therefore, this paper aims to examine how women are disadvantaged when they take entrance examinations for medical schools in Japan, compared to other academic disciplines. A null hypothesis that the average enrollment rates by gender in each academic discipline from 2015 to 2020 are the same was used to test the population ratio, and p-values were calculated. The results showed that no significant gender differences were found in the other disciplines, but the male enrollment rate was significantly higher only in medical schools (p < 0.01). This could be because the academic performance of men exceeds that of women in admissions. However, the percentage of women who passed the national examination for medical practitioners has been consistently high since 1997, suggesting that women were subjected to more difficult admission standards than their male counterparts or may have performed better during their years at medical school. As university entrance examinations in Japan are conducted in a closed environment, further information is expected to be disclosed as the matter continues to attract social attention for a better admission system.

Teaching Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tailoring Virtual Learning for Public Health and Cancer Health Disparities Education.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted higher education institutions in the United States (US). Given the dangers of close social interaction in spreading COVID-19, colleges and universities closed their campuses to minimize and often restrict face-to-face instruction of any kind, including supplemental skill development training and experiential learning. In exchange, higher education institutions implemented online learning strategies to continue education for students, including in-person experiential field experiences. This paper describes the adaptation of an in-person experiential field experience into an eight-day virtual workshop as a result of COVID-19 restrictions along with results from participant surveys evaluating pre-and post-test changes in knowledge and their overall assessment of the virtual workshop. This workshop, the Public Health and Cancer Research Workshop (PHCRW), was tailored for students from health-related graduate programs with the primary goal of introducing students to the causes and impacts of cancer disparities in the US/Mexico border region and research related to mitigating those disparities. The course facilitators added a professional development curriculum necessary for student success and the pursuit of advanced degrees such as academic/job interviewing skills and scientific and grant writing. The objectives were for students to (1) understand introductory and intermediate curriculum on public health, cancer, and cancer research; (2) examine the interrelationships among factors impacting public health problems; (3) describe the components of the research process; (4) describe various components of scientific writing; and (5) demonstrate professional strategies associated with school admission and employment. Students completed pre-and post- self-assessments that indicated gains in knowledge about cancer topics, particularly cancer prevention strategies (Mpre = 3.43; Mpost = 4.43), social determinants associated with cancer (Mpre = 3.29; Mpost = 4.43), and cancer rates by characteristics (Mpre = 3.43; Mpost = 4.43). Additionally, students overwhelmingly stated that they appreciated the opportunity to supplement their educational experience in a virtual format. Though the virtual format proved challenging in some respects, students expressed high satisfaction with the workshop. In addition to achieving the goals, the workshop successfully increased students' skills, knowledge, and self-confidence. Despite the last-minute adaptation of the PHCRW, students' satisfaction indicated that this program was an overall success.

Advancing Equity in Academic Medicine Through Holistic Review for Faculty Recruitment and Retention.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in 2007 developed the Holistic Review Framework for medical school admissions to increase mission-aligned student diversity. This approach balances an applicant's experiences, attributes, and metrics during the screening, interview, and selection processes. Faculty recruitment provides its own set of challenges, and there is persistent underrepresentation of certain racial and ethnic minority groups and women in faculty and leadership positions in U.S. academic health centers (AHCs). In 2019, the AAMC initiated a pilot program to adapt and implement the framework for use in faculty recruitment at AHCs. In this Invited Commentary, the authors describe the pilot implementation of the Holistic Review Framework for Faculty Recruitment and Retention and share lessons learned to date. Although the pilot proceeded during 2020, institutional implementation was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice movement. Pilot institutions encountered hiring freezes, reductions in funding, and restrictions on in-person meetings due to COVID-19 that resulted in both barriers and opportunities in implementing the framework. Renewed commitment to racial justice was associated with increased momentum and urgency for the implementation of faculty holistic review at the majority of pilot institutions. Common themes from the pilot leads' experiences included the importance of achieving "buy in," having a dedicated implementation team, and being explicit about core values. Other themes included the importance of adaptability and flexibility to meet the needs of different institutions and mission areas. The faculty holistic review framework has shown promise as an approach to advancing faculty diversity goals. The pilot institutions will continue to share best practices, track outcomes, implement quality improvement, and disseminate findings to assist other institutions and health care communities with their endeavors to recruit and retain diverse faculty.

Native Hawaiians: The Forgotten in Legal Education

Law school admission data results demonstrate significant continuing education and professional barriers encountered by Native Hawaiians. Heavy reliance on standardized admission testing and formulaic admissions standards regrettably deny legal education to an entire race and culture. Institutions vested with the obligation and opportunity to educate are urged to recognize the failings of current admission standards and to move towards a fair and just process to enable Native Hawaiians to pursue higher learning in the face of the historic disparities and disenfranchisement that they've suffered.

Native Hawaiians: The Forgotten in Legal Education

Law school admission data results demonstrate significant continuing education and professional barriers encountered by Native Hawaiians. Heavy reliance on standardized admission testing and formulaic admissions standards regrettably deny legal education to an entire race and culture. Institutions vested with the obligation and opportunity to educate are urged to recognize the failings of current admission standards and to move towards a fair and just process to enable Native Hawaiians to pursue higher learning in the face of the historic disparities and disenfranchisement that they've suffered.

The current dental school admissions: An overview of the admission process and the geographical distribution of dental school enrollees in Taiwan

Background/purposeThere is no specific admission system for dentistry in Taiwan. The aims of this study were to describe and analyze the current admission processes for entry into dental schools through the university admission system and to compare the geographical distribution of dental school enrollees. Materials and methodsAll seven dental schools of general universities in Taiwan were included to analyze the admission protocols in 2019 and 2020. All data of dental enrollment quotas and dental school enrollees presented in this study were collected from information available to the public on the related websites. ResultsThe total dental enrollment quotas via the university admission system were 381 in 2019 and 397 in 2020. Those admitted via the special program for indigenous peoples and offshore island peoples were both 27 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The main dental school admission way was individual application, and the main providers of dental enrollment quotas were northern dental schools and private dental schools. In addition, dental school enrollees were concentrated in the northern region, municipalities, and cities in Taiwan. ConclusionFurther advancement is needed to expand participation and broaden the sociodemographic profile of dental school applicants. The dental schools would benefit from a long-term prospective study about the correlation of admission methods with students’ performance in dental schools. The special program is impacting the equality of admission opportunities. It is necessary to track the practice dynamics of these dental school graduates who were enrolled via the special program as a basis for policy adjustment.

The Impacts on College Enrollment of a Charter Network Serving Disadvantaged Students: Evidence From KIPP Middle School Lotteries

Recent studies of charter school effectiveness have questioned whether charter school networks can produce a lasting impact on students’ long-term outcomes. Our study is the first to examine this issue at the network of Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) schools, which primarily serve disadvantaged students of color and constitute the nation’s largest charter school network. Using admission lotteries as a random assignment instrument, we estimate the impacts of 13 KIPP middle schools on college enrollment and persistence in college over the first two postsecondary years. Building on prior studies of KIPP that show KIPP middle schools have strong positive effects on middle school achievement, we find that KIPP middle schools also positively affect rates of enrollment in 4-year college programs. The magnitude of the estimated impact of a middle school admission offer (6.9%) and enrollment at a KIPP school (12.9%) is substantial relative to nationwide disparities in college enrollment across racial groups.

A Comparison of Australian and American Medical School Admission Experiences

Attaining admission into medical school has been described as a very competitive process by successful matriculants. The processes that medical schools use to stratify applicants can greatly differ between institutions. These systemic differences flow over onto the applicant level, such that individuals from different geographic regions can have varied and diverse application experiences depending on local medical school admissions protocols. This piece compares the medical school admission processes of Australia and the United States of America, in the form of a narrative recount of a successful medical school matriculant in each country, with the individual experiences of matriculants from alternative pathways blended into the piece. The authors discovered significant differences in admissions protocols between the two countries, with the greatest differences revolving around admissions exams, applicant profile (high school students versus college students), degree types and alternative entrance pathways.

Speech and Language Therapy Degree: reflections about school admission criteria in Portugal and worldwide

The purpose of the study is to identify the admission processes to the speech and language therapy degree worldwide and characterize how Portuguese speech and language therapists assess the candidates to the speech and language therapy degree. This is a descriptive, exploratory, and cross-sectional study. This study is divided into two studies. Questionnaires were used to collect data in both studies. The data were inserted and analyzed through descriptive statistics (via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27) and content analysis. Considering study 1, the results show that there are no school admission criteria performed by a speech and language therapist in most countries. However, in some institutions, there are some specific procedures considering the acceptance of applicants to enter the speech and language therapy degree. Study 2 reveals that Portuguese speech and language therapists use mainly informal assessment procedures when performing school admission criteria. The skills/areas most valued as school admission criteria for accessing the degree are writing and reading skills. Most participants consider it essential to perform the school admission criteria before candidates can access the speech and language therapy degree. &#x0D; There are different procedures worldwide considering the entrance in speech and language therapy degree. If school admission criteria should or should not exist is a matter of debate concerning inclusion and non-discrimination policies. Even in Portugal, where school admission criteria are mandatory, there is a high variability of procedures. All these results state the importance of discussing this matter in more depth, involving all the institutions and entities that formally represent the scientific area of speech and language therapy.

The Color of Law School: Examining Gender and Race Intersectionality in Law School Admissions

The Color of Law School: Examining Gender and Race Intersectionality in Law School Admissions

Tool for Measuring Readiness Level of Children Who Will Start Primary School: Attainment Test for Primary School Admission (ATPA)

This research aims to develop a tool to measure the school readiness of children who will start primary school. Changes have occurred in the primary school starting age following the developments that took part in the Turkish Education System. This change has caused parents to have intense hesitations about enrolling their children in school. As a result of changing the age of starting education, it aims to develop a test that aims to eliminate the question mark in the parents and teachers of children in critical months as the age of starting primary school. This study was conducted with the quantitative research method. The obtained data were subjected to EFA and CFA analyzes by the Amos program. As a result of the research findings, the Attainment Test for Primary School Admission (ATPA-C), which was prepared considering the preschool and primary education aims, took its final form as a 17-item measurement tool gathered together in five factors. As a result of the analyses of the research made with the data of 1285 students, it was detected that the scale had the necessary validity and reliability findings for practice and research.

Exploring Early Admission Processes: Implications for Nursing Workforce Diversity and Health Care Equity.

This pilot study aimed to describe applicants who do not progress during the nursing school admissions process, explore common reasons they do not progress, and identify demographic trends. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis on applicants who were not admitted to a master's entry program for nursing over the course of five consecutive admission cycles. The most common reasons for denial were missing prerequisite, late application, a bachelor's degree grade point average of <3.0, and a science prerequisite grade point average of <2.7. We found associations between some demographic groups and nonprogression through the application process.

Awareness of Tribal Parents for Enrolling Their Children in Primary Education: Chittagong Hill Tracks

Primary education is the constitutional right in Bangladesh and one of the most basic needs on which the nation is built. Nailing this point the paper is aimed to investigate the awareness level of tribal parents to let their children admission in primary schools. The study sets three research questions focusing the awareness of parents and intends to explore the obstacles in path of education. There are 250 tribal parents selected purposively from Khagrachari district of Bangladesh. The sample size consists two areas of tribal parents urban and rural, both areas are entailed literate and illiterate parents of primary school student. The primary data has been collected based on questionnaire survey. The study selects the variables regarding awareness enrollment initiatives while statistical tool (t-test) is used to know awareness level of tribal parents about enrollment of primary education. Finally, the important thing in all scenarios that the researchers have found significant differences in awareness between rural compare to urban as well as literate and illiterate tribal parents about enrollment on primary education of their children. The identified major challenges are the poverty, insufficient infrastructure, unskilled teacher, lack of awareness and proper monitoring for bridging the gap between home and school through mother tongue-based bi or multilingual education in primary school.

UCAT and dental student selection in the UK - what has changed?

Introduction The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) has been used since 2006 by a consortium of UK medical and dental schools to assist in undergraduate selection. In 2019, UCAT was used by 30 universities (14 dental schools).Aim To report how UCAT use has changed in undergraduate student selection in the UK.Methods UCAT use was categorised and trends identified from annual telephone interviews with dental school admission tutors; this process started in 2011.Results Dental schools using UCAT rose from 8 (2006) to 14 (2020). The most significant use of the test to select applicants for interview was as a weighted factor; at offer stage, UCAT was most used to discriminate between applicants at borderlines. A growing number of dental schools are using the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in selection (2019, n = 6). In 2019, eight schools adjusted selection processes for widening access applicants. Multiple mini interviews are now used by the majority (n = 10) of dental schools.Conclusions UCAT represents a significant factor in selection to UK undergraduate dental programmes and is used by all but two dental schools. In most schools, UCAT contributes in a substantial way to selection outcomes and strength in test use has grown over time.

Research experiences for Canadian aspiring physicians: a descriptive analysis of medical school admission policies concerning research involvement in Canada

BackgroundMany aspiring physicians perceive research experience as a way to support their medical school applications; however, the importance of research experiences as articulated in medical school admission policies is unclear. This is significant since policies and other discursive signals about selection processes can influence the behaviour of aspiring physicians. The purpose of this study is to describe the ways through which Canadian medical schools articulate the importance of research experiences in publicly available policy documents.MethodsFrom January to June 2021, the authors reviewed publicly available selection criteria, application materials, institutional and research-related web pages associated with the 17 Canadian medical schools alongside high-level Canadian articulations of important competencies for physicians. These materials were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. The authors considered concordance and/or discordance within each school’s stance on the importance of research experiences in their selection criteria and application materials.ResultsResearch experiences are typically not explicitly required for entry into a Canadian Doctor of Medicine (MD) program; however, there are expectations that graduating physicians should understand research. All 17 Canadian medical schools signal an appreciation for the value of research on an institutional level. Review of selection criteria and application materials show that five Canadian medical schools suggest to aspiring physicians that research experiences are important for admission and four do not suggest that research experiences are important for admission. There were both intra-institution and inter-institution discordance concerning the importance of research experiences for medical school applicant selection in one and seven medical schools respectively.ConclusionsGiven the significant variance among the 17 Canadian medical schools, it is worthwhile for medical schools to evaluate their front-facing admission policies with consideration of the potential impact it might have on the behaviour of aspiring physicians, to ensure best selection of future physicians.

In their own words: a comparison of the medical school applications of low and exceptional performing students

Background: Medical school admissions committees cannot predict performance. Previous research has studied whether standardized test scores, grade point averages, or letters of recommendation portend success, but an applicant’s reporting of their past experiences and activities has not been well studied. This research aimed to determine the themes present in the applications of low performing medical students and to compare these themes with those in the applications of exceptional performers. Methods: The authors performed a qualitative analysis of the Work and Activities section of the American Medical College Application Service application in low performing medical students (those referred to the student promotions committee where an administrative action occurred). A constant-comparative approach was used that applied an a priori thematic framework developed in exceptional students (those inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and Gold Humanism Honor Society). Frequencies of themes were counted and compared in each population by calculating the absolute number of themes and the diversity of themes per applicant. Results: Thirty-nine students met the definition of low performer in graduation years 2017 to 2019. Thematic saturation occurred after 18 applications; 21 files were reviewed. All seven themes present in exceptional performers (teamwork, altruism, success in a practiced activity, wisdom, passion, entrepreneurship, and perseverance) were present in low performers, although at lower frequencies. Three low performer themes were found: witnessing teamwork, description of a future event, and embellishment of achievement. Conclusions: Experience descriptions that prospective students write may predict future performance and could be used by admission committees to inform entry decisions into medical school. Low performers had comparatively lower frequencies of every exceptional performer theme; the difference was most notable in the “perseverance” and “success in a practiced activity” themes. Unique themes were found in low performers. Further studies are recommended to enhance the generalizability of these results.

Nursing students admitted through the affirmative action system display similar performance in professional and academic trajectories to those from the regular path in a public school in Brazil

Affirmative action providing higher education access for socially vulnerable students has been implemented in several countries. However, these policies remain controversial. This study compares the performance of students admitted through the regular path and social quota systems, during and after completion of nursing education, in a public nursing school in Brazil. This retrospective cohort study included all students admitted to nursing school at the School of Health Sciences (ESCS), Brazil, between 2009 and 2014, who were followed until May 2020. The first phase involved document analysis from the ESCS academic management system and Brazilian government agencies. In the second phase, a survey was conducted among the alumni. The social quota system criterion was public school attendance across all primary and secondary education levels. Of the 448 students included in the study, 178 (39.7%) were from the affirmative action and 270 (60.3%) from the regular path systems. Affirmative action students were older at the time of nursing school admission (p < 0.001) and took longer to be admitted to the nursing school (p < 0.001) after completing high school. There were no significant differences in the dropout rates and years to complete nursing school. In the second phase, 108 alumni answered the survey. No significant differences were found in their participation in the undergraduate scientific research program and university extension projects, attending residency programs, getting a master's degree and doctoral degree, monthly income, teaching activity, joining public service through a government job competition process, participation in management activities in the private and public health sector, and degree of job satisfaction. Our results revealed that affirmative action is a policy that contributes to the reduction of inequalities and guarantees the training of nursing professionals with a similar professional qualification received through affirmative action and regular path systems.