Effectiveness of Admission Criteria on Student Performance in Classroom and Field Instruction

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of admission criteria on graduate student performance in classroom and field instruction in a new MSW program. Graduate applicants' undergraduate GPA, GRE, and total weighted admission score consisting of four items were gathered. These were correlated with their classroom and field instruction performance. Findings reveal that GRE, undergraduate GPA, and total weighted admission scores are significantly correlated with their classroom performance. End of first year cumulative GPA and human service experience were identified as significant predictors of field performance. Implications of these findings for social work educators and graduate school programs are discussed.

BSW Program Admission Policies: Is There Empirical Support for What We Do?

“…Research findings support academic performance standards given that GPA at admission predicts academic competence at graduation, although it does not predict social work practicum performance (Ryan et al, 2006;Schmidt, 2007;Thomas et al, 2004). While schools have used nonacademic criteria to predict competence in field placements, only work experience, nonacademic references, and age have been found predictive (Ryan et al, 2006;Thomas et al, 2004).…”

“…However, a study of Australian BSW programs found that GPA was not associated with field performance (Ryan et al, 2006). Several studies of MSW program admissions reported that undergraduate GPA predicted first-year graduate GPA (Bogon & Davin, 1989;Fortune, 2003;Thomas, McCleary, & Henry, 2004) but not second-year GPA for those entering 2-year programs (Bogon & Davin, 1989;Fortune, 2003). In addition, Pelech and colleagues (1999) found that MSW students who had problems later in the program were more likely to have lower GPAs.…”

“…Ryan et al (2006) and Thomas et al (2004) looked at relations between students' field performance and their previous human services experience and also with the quality of references submitted at admission, but found none (Bogon & Davin, 1989;GlenMaye & Oakes, 2001;Schmidt, 2007;Smith & Pratt, 2006). In addition, researchers criticized the subjectivity that occurred when schools rated human services experience.…”

“…While schools have used nonacademic criteria to predict competence in field placements, only work experience, nonacademic references, and age have been found predictive (Ryan et al, 2006;Thomas et al, 2004). Nevertheless, given that other researchers found no associations between any academic or nonacademic standards and field performance (GlenMaye & Oakes, 2001;Schmidt, 2007;Smith & Pratt, 1996), empirical evidence that admission criteria can predict practicum performance is not compelling.…”

‘Hanging on a Little Thin Line’: Barriers to Progression and Retention in Social Work Education

“…By contrast, more recent research has placed greater emphasis upon the impact of the institution upon students. Here, the notion of 'institutional habitus' (Reay, 1998;Reay et al, 2001;Thomas et al, 2004), a concept loosely based upon the work of Bourdieu (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1990), has been influential. This can be understood as 'the impact of a cultural group or social class on an individual's behaviour as it is mediated through an organisation' (McDonough, 1996, cited in Reay et al, 2001.…”