Most colleges and universities, especially Tier 1 research universities, frequently use undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) as key criteria for acceptance of students into Masters' level education programs. While GPA and GRE are relevant as critical success factors relative to traditional students, the applicability of these criteria alone becomes skewed when considering potential applicants who are working professional adult learners. Working professional adult learners have additional criteria that may more accurately predict their educational success than the historical undergraduate GPA or GRE. Undergraduate GPA and GRE scores, as admissions criteria, become further clouded by our desire as an academic unit to maintain high standards for admission. Other factors contributing to working professional adult learners include, but are not limited to, years since last degree, undergraduate field of study, reasons for undergraduate GPA (if low), GPA of classes taken more recently (post-undergraduate), GPA in the first two years versus the last two years, demonstrated application of undergraduate assimilated knowledge through successfully greater career opportunities, recommendations from supervisors and third parties and the potential students statement of purpose. In the final analysis, it is a judgment decision on maturity, based on a collection of factors that support an informed decision on the potential success of an applicant. These many career oriented factors are typically not available when assessing the Master's applicant who has just completed their undergraduate degree.
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