High school students’ grades keep getting better, but standardized tests tell a different story:
Last month, the ACT released research indicating that student GPA in the post-COVID-19 era has declined in its power to predict student success in college. In contrast, standardized test scores stayed relatively stable in their ability to predict whether students will receive passing grades in their first year of college.
According to researchers, the average high school GPA, measured on a 4.0 scale, has risen slightly since 2017, increasing from 3.44 to 3.59. While ACT scores stayed fairly stable from the mid-90s to 2019, they faltered during and after the pandemic, declining from 20.7 on a 36-point scale in 2019 to 19.5 in 2023. The decline was particularly steep between 2021 and 2022, falling from 20.3 to 19.8. While these drops seem small, they portend a significant problem.
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Another research paper, published earlier this year paints a similar picture. The study, from the Equitable Grading Project, looked at more than 30,000 grades from the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years. When compared to students’ performance on corresponding standardized tests, researchers found that almost 60 percent of grades “did not match the standardized test scores designed to measure students’ content knowledge of those courses.” Two-thirds of these mismatched grades were inflated, an outcome that affected low-income, black, and Hispanic students most.
These results indicate that grade inflation is rampant, and colleges should turn back toward standardized testing in admissions if they want to reliably predict which student will be able to handle the rigors of college.
”…if they want to reliably predict which student will be able to handle the rigors of college.”
Do they care that much? Seems they just want bodies to march through the institution.
If they cut the guy with high grades and low standardized test scores, is there somebody behind him to take the slot? Someone with a higher standardized test score? Seems likely it’s a guy with both lower grades and lower test scores.
“test scores not keeping up with inflated grades; women and minorities hardest hit.”
“The rigors of college,” says Emma Camp. What about the rigors mortis of college? Only necromancy can save it now.
“Only necromany can save it now.”
Hmmm…better consult the handbook on how to deal with this one…
“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
- Leviticus 20:27
Remember, stoning College Professor’s to death may SEEM drastic, but that’s just because you judge as men judge and not as God judges. God’s usually right, after all.
One major problem for colleges and universities is that the number of 18 year-olds is declining, especially white 18 year-olds, who are the main consumers of college.
PS. How did I become Bob Dykes? Did Google autofill slip one past me? [Sorry. It was your fat-fingered host.]