SEX DIFFERENCES IN SAT^® PREDICTIONS OF COLLEGE GRADES

Abstract

This study examined the role that sex‐related differences in the nature of the grade criterion and in variables associated with academic performance play in the over‐ and underprediction of college grades by the SAT when the test is used alone and in combination with high school grades. An entire freshman class at a large state university was studied. Women's GPA was underpredicted but only by a small amount. Adjusting the GPA for differences in grading standards for individual courses did not affect the underprediction, but controlling for sex differences in individual‐difference variables concerned with academic preparation, studiousness, and attitudes about mathematics reduced or essentially eliminated it.

College Major and Gender Differences in the Prediction of College Grades

“…The small residual underprediction of females' grades was consistent with many studies (Linn 1982;Ramist et al 1994;Stricker et al 1991). Other variables not included here, such as study habits and essay writing skills, may account for these differences.…”

“…Although the labor-intensive methods employed by Ramist, Lewis, and McCamley (1994), Elliot and Strenta (1988), Stricker, Rock, and Burton (1991), and Young (1990Young ( , 1991, which depend on individual course grades, are more precise for adjusting grades for leniency and improving the reliability of predicted course grades, the procedure proposed here appears to be a much easier, more practical method to control for variations in grading standards by fields of study because it avoids the analysis of transcript data and the problems of groups of unequal size across courses. This procedure improved the accuracy of prediction of freshman grades, but it is not possible to know in this study how its effectiveness compares with the control for grading leniency achieved with the other methods.…”

“…It can be said briefly that there is evidence partly supporting each of the explanations (Breland and Griswold 1982;Bridgeman 1989;Bridgeman andWendler 1989, 1991;Bridgeman and Lewis 1991;College Board 1988;Ekstrom, Goertz, and Rock 1988;Elliott and Srrenta 1988;Mazzeo, Schmitt, and Bleistein 1989;McCormack and Mcleod 1988;Mullis and Jenkins 1988;Ramist et a1. 1994;Stricker, Rock, and Burton 1991;Wilder and Powell 1989;Young 1991).…”

“…A number of studies have found that gender differences in the prediction of college grades (usually in the direction of underprediction of females' grades) are reduced, eliminated, or occasionally reversed when grading leniency was controlled, either by predicting individual course grades (McCormack and McLeod 1988; Rarnist et al 1994), or by adjusting the cumulative grade-point average (Elliott and Strenta 1988;Stricker et al 1991;Young 1991). Nevertheless, some gender differences in the prediction of college grades remained statistically significant even after controlling for grading standards (Stricker et al 1991), but the differences tended to be smaller or nonexistent at more selective colleges with students who had high average composites of high school grades and SAT scores (Ramist et al 1994).…”

“…Nevertheless, some gender differences in the prediction of college grades remained statistically significant even after controlling for grading standards (Stricker et al 1991), but the differences tended to be smaller or nonexistent at more selective colleges with students who had high average composites of high school grades and SAT scores (Ramist et al 1994). Some authors have argued that test bias (among other explanations) cannot be ruled out (e.g., Elliott and Strenta 1988) because gender differences have persisted in the prediction of individual course grades in psychology (Elliott and Strenta 1988), mathematics (Bridgeman andWendler 1989, 1991) and a variety of other subject areas (Ramist et al 1994).…”