A Study of the Validity of Undergraduate Grade Point Average and Graduate Record Examination Scores as Predictors of Success in the Selection of Masters Level Graduate Students in Psychology

摘要

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the undergraduate grade point average (UGPA), the grade point average during the last two years of undergraduate work (LTYR), the Graduate Record Examination Verbal plus Graduate Record Examination Quantitative scores (GREM), the Graduate Record Examination Analytical Test score (GREAN) and the Graduate Record Examination Advanced Psychology Test score (GREAD) as predictors of graduate grade point averages (GGPA) in the Master of Arts degree program in Psychology at Western Kentucky University. The validity of the Graduate Record Examination Quantitative score (GREQ) as a predictor of grades received in the two required research methods courses, Psychometric Theory (GPAPT) and Experimental Design (GPAEXD) was also investigated. The subjects were 55 students who had completed at least two semesters of graduate work in the program. The findings indicate that UGPA and GREM are both valid predictors of GGPA and contribute about equally to the validity of the prediction. The addition of GREAN appears to add to the prediction but, for this sample, the addition of GREAD reduced its validity. GREQ was found not to be a valid predictor of grades received in the two required statistics courses.