Study suggests admissions decisions reward grade inflation

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But the researchers also looked at real admissions decisions made by four selective M.B.A. programs (admitting 16-39 percent of their applicants) – looking at data for more than 30,000 applicants. The pool covered applicants from several years of admissions cycles and excluded those who did not earn bachelor’s degrees in the United States. The business schools provided a range of information about the applicants – including scores on standardized tests, years of work experience, grades, gender, race, etc. In addition, the researchers gathered information on the grading norms at the undergraduate institutions the applicants attended.
When controlling for a range of factors, the researchers found the same thing as with the 23 admissions officers. When comparing comparably qualified applicants, it was better to have earned high grades at a college where that was relatively easy to do than to have earned less high grades at institutions with tougher grading. Applicants at colleges with grade inflation are winning more than their share of slots, in other words.

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<p>I can surmise that those schools with the mean highest GPA’s were also some of the most selective undergrads in the country. So, holistic works, if prestige be your priority – MBA programs are big into prestige – and a 3.5 from Yale undergrad (mean) beats a 3.5 from Directional State U (mean = 2.9) nearly every time.</p>

<p>Read more: [Study</a> suggests admissions decisions reward grade inflation | Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/07/30/study-suggests-admissions-decisions-reward-grade-inflation#ixzz2af8L7VxO]Study”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/07/30/study-suggests-admissions-decisions-reward-grade-inflation#ixzz2af8L7VxO)
Inside Higher Ed</p>