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Date:         Wed, 12 Aug 1992 12:22:00 MDT
              <PSYCGRAD@UOTTAWA.BITNET>
From:         "Lora L. Harpster" <PSYLLH@FREUD.SBS.UTAH.EDU>
Subject:      GRES, ADMISSIONS
X-To:         PSYCGRAD@ACADVM1.UOTTAWA.CA

Hi, Everybody:

     One point that I've been waiting to see made in this great debate is
that of the statistical concept known as "restriction of range".  So far, no
one has brought that up.  Many of you say that the GRE has little predictive
validity.  It certainly would have a great deal more validity if we did not
restrict the range by using cutoff criteria such as a combined GRE score of
1100.  Whenever you restrict the range you decrease the correlation
coefficient, remember?  So, it looks like GRE scores of the folks left in the
sample are not terribly correlated with success in grad school.  In order to
up the correlation, you're going to have to let in a lot more folks with low
GREs and allow them to fail.  Given the state of educational budgets now, do
you really want someone to use up your stipend money to prove that the GREs
ARE predictive?

     I agree with the comment about the fact that most faculty who write
letters of recommendation take the process very seriously.  I'm also curious,
how many of you have ever been in the position of being allowed to review
application files?  I found it to be a very interesting process.  So many
people look so good, that you MUST have cut-off criterion established in
order to make the process managable.  Think about it, you have the following
pieces of information to review for possibly hundreds of applicants 1) GRE
scores 2)Specialty GRE scores or MAT scores 3) Transcripts 4) 3 letters of
recommendation 4) possible publications or manuscripts 5) letter of intent.
And then, 6) perhaps you do either telephone or in person interviews (which
means you pay to have the person fly out and visit).

     Many businesses establish all or nothing criteria, if you pass this one,
you go on to the next, if you pass that on to the next.  At any step in the
process you can be discarded for not meeting a criteria.  It's the same thing
with graduate school applications.  Yes, I agree (before you jump right into
a reply) that there are many elements of performance that don't show up in
the application process. And I would like to state that there are instances
where individuals have been accepted into our programs with GREs below the
established limit, but believe me they had other pieces which were very, very
strong! I don't think we avoid "false misses", those who would have performed
well anyway, but I think the intent is to try to maximize the number of "true
hits" even though we occasionally get some "false hits" as well.

     Until someone comes up with a better process, I'll stick with this one.
So far all I've heard is a lot of grumbling, and not too many workable
solutions (notice I say not too many and not NO).

     ETS does a good job at revising their tests, they do a great deal of
piloting, they do advise decision making committees not to use this piece of
evidence in isolation, and they are sensitive to the issue of culture bias.
Many of the processes that are essential for grad school are present in the
testing situation 1) time constraints 2) a good knowledge of the English
language 3) understanding of mathematical concepts 4) the ability to figure
out how to arrive at a correct answer when given several similar appearing
options 5) financial burdens (if you found it to be).

     And, a final note, if you are going to flunk a test on the basis of ONE
item and one item only, what does that say about your overall ability?



Loree Harpster  University of Utah  PSYLLH@FREUD.SBS.UTAH.EDU
                                    PCYLHP@UTAHUSI.BITNET
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