Higher Education Entrance Qualifications and Exams in Europe: A Comparison

McGrath, Cecile Hoareau; Henham, Marie Louise; Corbett, Anne; Durazzi, Niccolo; Frearson, Michael; Janta, Barbara; Kamphuis, Bregtje; Katashiro, Eriko; Branković, Nina; Guerin, Benoit; Manville, Catriona; Schwartz, Inga; Schweppenstedde, Daniel

doi:10.7249/rr574

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The admission of new students to universities can be described as a process of matching, guidance and selection enabling the graduation of students with the adequate skills needed in their future working life (1). Therefore, higher education institutions (HEIs) assess their applicants using entrance examinations and other selection methods to identify and rank applicants with a high probability of programme completion (2). The assessment of applicants should aim for equity and fairness, which challenges HEIs to use objective and valid selection methods (2; 3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced mathematical skills and relating factors of engineering applicants: a cross-sectional study

Vierula¹,

Tiili²,

Björkman³

et al. 2022

Towards a New Future in Engineering Education, New Scenarios That European Alliances of Tech Universities Open Up

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Higher education institutions assess applicants with entrance examinations as a way to identify and rank those applicants with adequate ability to proceed in their studies. Engineering students form a significant group of higher education students, both in Europe and Finland. Finnish universities of applied sciences (UASs) developed and harmonised their student selection in the Development Project in 2017–2020. In the Development Project, a new national digital universities of applied sciences entrance examination (UAS Exam) was developed. In the current study, a cross-sectional design was used to assess advanced mathematical skills and related factors of the bachelor-level engineering applicants performing the newly developed UAS Exam. The advanced mathematical skills exam section contains mathematics and physics problems. The data were collected via the digital exam system. Altogether, 1205 engineering applicants consented to the study and performed the exam section. The data were statistically analysed. The applicants’ mean scores were 4.8 (SD 5.2, median 3.9, range -4.9–20 pts) out of 20 maximum points. Over 20% of the applicants failed. Some of the background variables explain the applicants’ exam results, indicating that older applicants scored better than younger ones, males better than females, and high school graduates and applicants with previous higher education degrees better than those with vocational diplomas. The results indicate that engineering applicants’ advanced mathematical skills were rather poor, indicating that it may be possible that engineering applicants lack the basic skills in mathematics and physics, but this may vary between applicants.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced mathematical skills and relating factors of engineering applicants: a cross-sectional study

Vierula¹,

Tiili²,

Björkman³

et al. 2022

Towards a New Future in Engineering Education, New Scenarios That European Alliances of Tech Universities Open Up

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“…One course of action in the direction of such an improved orientation prior to student enrollment is the development of (non-committal) self-assessments. It has been assumed that non-selective, but adequate and personalized information will help prospective students to make an informed study decision (McGrath et al, 2014). We define these kinds of self-assessments as "the active participation of students in making judgments about their own characteristics (i.e., knowledge, skills, and expectations), in order to foster reflection on the extent to which these characteristics fit with studying in a specific context" (definition adapted from Dochy et al, 1999, p. 334).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting Completion: The Road to Informed Study Decisions in Higher Online Education

et al. 2021

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Non-completion is an ongoing concern in higher education, and even more so in higher online education. One way to address this problem is to take initiatives prior to student enrollment, enabling informed decision making. In line with this, an institution for open higher online education seeks to develop a (non-committal) online self-assessment for prospective students. To identify variables (tests) to be included in this self-assessment, the present study aims at validating variables–previously identified as “predictive of completion in higher education and open to intervention before enrollment”—within the current higher online education context. Results of correlational analyses indicate that the following modifiable variables are relevant to include: hours planned to study, employment hours, study intention, discipline, discipline confidence, basic mathematical skills, and social support. Based on a sensitivity cut-off of 95% (to minimize false negatives) about 13% of the actual non-completers could be identified correctly. Implications for future development of the self-assessment are discussed.

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“…One way to address this problem is by taking action prior to student enrolment, ensuring that the study expectations of prospective students are realistic [27,37]. Adequate, personalized information has been shown to help prospective students make informed study decisions [9,16] and, by extension, reduce non-completion [15,39]. A self-assessment (SA) can provide such information [25,26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This SA will be available, online, for prospective students and inform them about the match between their characteristics (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) on the one hand, and what appears to be conducive to (read: predictive of) completion in higher online education on the other hand. The aim of the SA is not to select, but to provide feedback for action, so that prospective students can make a well-considered study choice [9,15,16], based on realistic expectations [27]. By following up on feedback suggestions (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing an Online Self-assessment for Informed Study Decisions: The User Perspective

Delnoij

Janssen

Dirkx

et al. 2020

Addressing Global Challenges and Quality Education

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This paper presents the results of a study, carried out as part of the design-based development of an online self-assessment for prospective students in higher online education. The self-assessment consists of a set of tests – predictive of completion – and is meant to improve informed decision making prior to enrolment. The rationale being that better decision making will help to address the ongoing concern of non-completion in higher online education. A prototypical design of the self-assessment was created based on an extensive literature review and correlational research, aimed at investigating validity evidence concerning the predictive value of the tests. The present study focused on investigating validity evidence regarding the content of the self-assessment (including the feedback it provides) from a user perspective. Results from a survey among prospective students (N = 66) indicated that predictive validity and content validity of the self-assessment are somewhat at odds: three out of the five tests included in the current prototype were considered relevant by prospective students. Moreover, students rated eleven additionally suggested tests – currently not included – as relevant concerning their study decision. Expectations regarding the feedback to be provided in connection with the tests include an explanation of the measurement and advice for further preparation. A comparison of the obtained scores to a reference group (i.e., other test-takers or successful students) is not expected. Implications for further development and evaluation of the self-assessment are discussed.

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Higher Education Entrance Qualifications and Exams in Europe: A Comparison

Abstract: The study analyses admission systems to higher education across ten countries, covering some countries of the European Union

Cited by 17 publications

References 9 publications

Advanced mathematical skills and relating factors of engineering applicants: a cross-sectional study

Advanced mathematical skills and relating factors of engineering applicants: a cross-sectional study

Predicting Completion: The Road to Informed Study Decisions in Higher Online Education

Designing an Online Self-assessment for Informed Study Decisions: The User Perspective

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