Admissions Tests
Reliability and validity
SPA’s specific objective in relation to admissions tests has to date involved work including consideration of how tests are being used, developed and evaluated, how HEIs are using them to predict / correlate with undergraduate success (if in fact they do this) and whether they can demonstrate the tests are relevant, reliable and valid. SPA’s visits to HEIs have included asking questions about the purpose and function of tests for admission / aptitude, where they are in use.
SPA has also analysed how HEIs describe tests and has found in some instances that these descriptions could be clearer and more transparent. For example an HEI may have elements of the interview process which they do not always describe as tests, but which are in fact short tests within the admissions cycle. On the other hand an HEI may state it has a test but it could for example require a piece of music that has been well rehearsed to be played at audition. This latter example would not fall into the SPA definition of a test. These differences in definition may create confusion on the part of applicants and advisers as to what is being required of applicants. The SPA team welcomes enquiries from HEIs about how they might describe these elements of the admissions process.
Progress made by SPA includes meetings at HEIs, and with test bodies and other stakeholders. This year we have explored the issue of appeals against test results and around matters of procedural irregularity with the test bodies. The results of this investigation are published on the Appeals secion of this website. We have explored further with HEIs the rationale behind the use of tests as part of the admissions decision-making process. To broaden our research in this area we produced a questionnaire which asked not only about which specific tests are in use but also more detailed questions around areas including: what additional information is gained from the test result; how test scores are used in conjunction with other factors and whether any weightings are applied; any approval mechanism and/ or regular review process for tests which is in place.
The questionnaire responses are currently being analysed and will appear on the Questionnaire section of the website soon.
This work is continuing and further contact with HEIs is required to establish, if possible, the full extent of tests of various types in use and the approval and quality control mechanisms used.
SPA is continuing to discuss issues of validity, reliability, equality of opportunity and research with those offering/researching/interested in the tests and with the HEIs using them. These discussions will include the pros and cons of using subject specific tests versus generic tests. SPA will feed the results of these discussions and any other findings back to stakeholders.
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Reviewed and updated: May 2010