Re: Assessment; evaluation of GRE scores

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 19:46 8/21/01 -0500, John Howell wrote:
> Greetings.
>
> Our Physics department is being asked to "assess" how well we are
> doing in educating our students.  We're new at this, and so I would
> seek suggestions:
>
> a) We'd like to track how our students are doing comparted to the
> national undergraduate population, and we hoped to use GRE scores to
> do so.  However, the population that takes GRE's includes many
> graduate students.  Does anyone out there know a way (even an
> approximate, rule-of-thumb way) to convert GRE scores to a rating
> vis-a-vis other undergraduate students?
>
> b) Would anyone like to share their tricks on assessment?  A
> questionnaire you've used for graduates?  Particular focal lengths
> that prove useful when throwing smoke-and-mirrors at the evaluators?
>
> I'm glad to take answers at my individual address, but I suspect that
> other folks might be interested in hearing answers.
>
> John

I took The GRE elements in Engineering and Computer Science many
years ago. Though the experience is long-dated, perhaps the comments
can be helpful.

At the time, GRE exams consisted of two parts, one of which essentially
represented a test of general ability, an IQ test if you will.

The other part was responsive to material learned in a particular field,
and I imagine this is the part you would find helpful.

 The College Board provides materials for these exams at a variety
of academic settings, whose common theme was careful timing in a
studious environment with careful proctoring. I did one at McGill,
and one at Tulsa U. They were quite demanding.

The results were given in terms of result percentile cf all test takers.

I find no cause for concern that results for undergraduates may look low.
In other times and places, a pass grade on term exams was 45%.
There is no law that says an acceptable rating has be better than say 60%.


The GREs were distinctively different from one or two other
professional grade entry tests.
 I recall that the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) had some
decidedly non logical, perhaps arguable sections. Perhaps this is as
it should be in such a field.
    I did not dabble with the MCAT - though I would be interested
in the flavor of an entry test for 1/4 million dollar jobs, I'm sure!

(It's notable amang parents of local teenagers, that the ones who
apply for the pharmacy undergraduate school in the state college
in the next town over, do so knowing that their starting pay fresh
out of school is very likely to excceed $50,000 - not a medical
grade pay, but still not bad for a 22 year old.)


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!