Comment choisir la bonne évaluation d’admission pour votre programme ?

There are two main perspectives to this. As educators, the right admissions assessment for a program allows us to select the suitable candidates that can best develop themselves academically when they complete the program. On the other hand, the right admissions assessment for a program allows the applicants to best prepare themselves for the program before they apply for the program. The end result will also be that the applicants can reap the most effective benefits when they complete the program. The selection of the the right admissions assessment for the program should be balanced with breadth and depth criteria.

Employ various types of validity checks, including content validity, criterion-related validity, and construct validity. Content validity ensures the exam assesses the intended content. Criterion-related validity examines the correlation between exam scores and future success in the program. Construct validity evaluates the underlying theoretical constructs measured by the exam.

True! In addition, the assessment methodologies must be feasible and transparent. For instance, if you are selecting aspiring medical graduates in a country like Pakistan, then pre-entry proficiency test should be able to assess around 200,000 candidates in a swift and standardized manner, ensuring results in a short time.

Your primary goal with an admissions assessment is to determine the readiness of a student for your specific program. Are the entry requirements valid and reasonable? Are they also still competitive enough to distinguish between those students that do and don't belong in your program? Does the assessment provide you with a complete enough picture of the student as a whole? If not, what are the current gaps?

Alignment with Educational Goals: Students need confirmation that the evaluation is directly related to the abilities and information required to succeed in the course. What is being assessed and what students will learn from the programme should be connected. This connection demonstrates how much the programme values knowledge and abilities that are usable and useful. Equity and Availability: All applicants should have equal opportunity in the assessment, despite of their background. This involves taking accessibility into account, such as providing accommodations for students with disabilities.

Persistence is key. The correct assessment for Admissions consideration should be able to be tracked upon throughout class starts, and the institution should be able to see a direct correlation between entry requirement assessments and have a relatable outcome for persistence and program completion for those who matriculate. An admission assessment for just assessments sake in terms of deciding on who to admit and who to not admit is doing a disservice to everyone - including the academic faculty who will become ultimately responsible for the students overall success.

(1) You will need to look at existing cohort and past cohort performance within your program and how that ranks against their admissions' assessment. Some trends will stand out. (2) Using the same assessment model now, you should be able to forecast how specific students will fare. If not, then the assessment method might have some gaps or bias.

IMO, reliability depends upon the cohort being assessed. And, some change in policies by the government and/or examining body can affect the eligibility, educational level, social status, and even gender of examinees. Therefore, reliability as such, must not supersede the validity of examination.

Ensuring consistent and unbiased evaluation across different situations and candidates is crucial when evaluating the fairness and dependability of admissions assessments. Strong and trustworthy, the evaluation must minimise biases, produce outcomes that are consistent, and be accessible to all candidates. To preserve fairness and dependability, the admissions process must be reviewed and improved on a regular basis. This preserves the process's integrity and promotes an inclusive learning environment.

Fairness is somewhat very relative, especially in international admissions process. We need to identify and consistently monitor the qualifications from each country (based on student cohort) and tailor additional requirements based on the courses’ requirements. In addition, language skills assessment is also required to be tailored to each country’s relative ability score. For instance, English language level might need to be leveled down for particular countries or courses. Or else, we can focus more on other assessment requiremenf for specific courses.

In determining the format and content, first determine what the completion rate is for your current assessment format. A low rate of less than 50% indicates that it might not be the right format for your prospective student. That can also be solved by surveying your applicants.

It is essential, when selecting the format and content of admissions examinations, to select methods that reflect the program's ethos and objectives. The format selected, whether it be written examinations, interviews, or portfolios, ought to align with the program's curriculum and core values, while also being financially and logistically viable. Striking a balance between the pragmatic considerations of assessment administration and the imperative for a thorough and precise appraisal of candidates' capabilities and prospects is of utmost significance.

First, clearly define your program's objectives and the skills you want to assess. Next, consider the format—whether it's multiple-choice, essays, or practical tasks. Align the assessment with the nature of the program and the skills it aims to evaluate. Ensure the content covers relevant topics and accurately reflects the program's requirements. Seek input from educators and industry experts to validate the assessment's appropriateness. Pilot the assessment to identify any issues and make necessary adjustments. Regularly review and update the assessment to align with evolving program goals and industry trends. By following these steps, you can choose an admissions assessment that effectively evaluates candidates for your program.

Tendrá mucho que ver con el tipo de programa que se haya elaborado. Mientras que programas que busquen que los estudiantes logren un alto grado de especialización en una materia, sería necesario realizar evaluaciones que permitan determinar el grado de conocimiento basal que el candidato tiene sobre los contenidos del programa, en tanto se requiere un piso mínimo para poder nutrirse adecuadamente del plan de estudios. Por otro lado, un plan de estudios que ofrece cierta especialización, pero de un carácter más generalista, podría tener en consideración las motivaciones y el despliegue que el candidato podrá hacer de los nuevos conocimientos adquiridos en su área de desempeño actual.

This is a crucial element...! How do you achieve the purpose of your assessment while making sure it's valid and reliable and in the most efficient way possible. Do you start off with a knowledge based screener (that can be marked electronically), do you use CAT scores, secondary school examination grades / raw scores etc. to increase efficiency and then interview the filtered candidates. What about widening access? Equity? Justice?

In a perfect assessment world, the assessment leads to feedback for the candidates. It should be the objective to create measurable and comparable outcomes that are transparent and make sense to the candidate. Unfortunately, the reality is that on many occasions the assessment is used to create the perception of a more stringent selection process. It is hardly transparent or does not establish factors that can be shared with the candidate. Imagine a professionally designed assessment that provides a score X. This score X might indicate that the candidate performs above a certain minimum and has as such a value for the Admissions Committee. However, for the candidate, it has no external value.

Clear communication and effective feedback are crucial components of the admissions process. It must be done to provide applicants with timely, constructive feedback that emphasises their strengths and areas for development. Trust and respect are cultivated through the open and honest communication of the assessment process, criteria, and results. Promoting feedback from stakeholders and applicants serves to enhance the evaluation procedure, foster stronger connections, and bolster the program's overall credibility.

Ensure that your assessment has a DIRECT and meaningful correlation to the future academic success in the program...I have worked in many institutions that have assessments in place because their accreditor required them to, because it gives the appearance of stringency in admissions but include arbitrary cut off scores with no sound rationale and immediate retesting...defeating the purpose of the assessment completely, or at the very least hindering it's effectiveness significantly. The largest wild card is the individual giving the assessment...this is a major factor because there are stringent rules build around this and people are people, they do things their own way, including hints on how to be successful in the assessment.

Parte esencial de cualquier proceso de evaluación es la respectiva retroalimentación. Efectivamente, los procesos de selección y evaluación pueden ser arduos y exigentes, sin embargo, una retroalimentación adecuada y oportuna no solo constituye un acto de respeto hacia quien postula (y que será evaluado), sino que además constituye una muestra de calidad y seriedad del programa al cual se postula.

It is crucial to uphold ethics and integrity in the process of evaluating admissions. Consistency with professional standards and institutional policies guarantees reputable, trustworthy, and accountable behaviour. The process's ethical foundation is strengthened by maintaining an aggressive stance against misconduct and upholding the rights and privacy of applicants. Maintaining a culture of ethical responsibility and safeguarding the integrity and credibility of the admissions process require strict adherence to these principles.

This is the most difficult aspect when applied to the practical situations. And, to me, is the most important one. The sanctity and precise meanings of words like morals, values and ethics must not be confused while drafting the policy. Therefore, it must be considered that something valuable may not always be moral! And, these terms mean differently for different people.

The assessment process has to be conducted within ethical principles and the integrity of the process should be beyond question. Professional degrees have our professional ethics and standards to uphold along with those of the institution and education.

Very apt! However, any change/innovation should also be acceptable to the stakeholders. Otherwise, even the most useful innovation may be thrown out of the window.

The level of innovation in the admissions assessment should align with the uniqueness of the program and the type of students you wish to attract. For a new Master in Accounting, a more traditional approach to already existing assessment can be adequate. Using this very same assessment to select candidates for a Master's in Data Visualization and Storytelling will certainly not align with the innovative aspect of the program nor create excitement in the candidates. A hands-on data analysis challenge with storytelling could be both engaging and revealing for candidates in this program.

Medicine has always enjoyed high demand. Recently however, there is a very worrying decline in applicant numbers, to all healthcare professions in general and medicine in particular. The negative press and media coverage drive this decline, along with much higher number of competing occupations promising higher income and work from anywhere freedoms. This decline will end up leading to drastic changes in ways we assess suitability and admission.