Centennial Honors College
Western Illinois University
Undergraduate Research Day 2014
Poster Presentation
Standardized Tests being used as Predictors of Student Success
Devin J. Johnson
Faculty Mentor: Richard J. Hardy
Management and Marketing
Standardized tests have been used for decades to predict academic success. Indeed,
anyone applying to college, graduate school or professional school must take a
standardized test. These include the ACT (American College Testing), GRE (Graduate
Record Examination), LSAT (Law School Admissions Test), and MCAT (Medical
College Admissions Test). But how reliable are these examinations? Are they true
predictors of success? Just what do they measure? What do they not measure? What
variables influence students’ scores—quality of education, socio-economic condition,
and test biases? This study will examine research regarding standardized testing,
assess the pros and cons of such testing, and offer a preliminary conclusion regarding
the efficacy and limits of these tests.