Beyond the GRE:
Using the PPI to Highlight Skills
That Don’t Show Up on Standardized Tests
Christina Murray
Associate Director of Graduate Admissions
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Welcome
Raise your hand if you are…
– concerned about how an admissions committee will view
your grades or test scores;
– uncertain about how to improve your likelihood of admission
to graduate school;
– preparing to take the GRE this fall;
– familiar with the Personal Potential Index (PPI);
– in regular and meaningful contact with your advisor about
graduate school.
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Oldest technological institute in the country
70% of graduate students are in the STEM fields
25-30% acceptance rate across graduate programs
GRE/GMAT is required of all applicants
PPI is optional
Largest user of the PPI nationally
The PPI factored into 25 – 30 successful waiver
requests at Rensselaer in Fall 2012.
How does the PPI affect admissions?
“ A student may have a poor GMAT, but if his PPI scores
on resilience and tenacity are very high, then I would
conclude he is more likely to succeed – if he is doing
poorly the student will continue to try until he gets it
right.
I would admit a student like this any day.”
Dean
Office of Graduate Education
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
What is the PPI?
An evaluation system that
helps an admissions committee
predict your potential for success
in graduate school.
The PPI measures personal potential by evaluating personal
attributes (eg. resilience and communication skills) rather
than subject mastery and is a complement to traditional
evaluation methods like the GRE.
What does it measure?
Six critical personal attributes:
– Knowledge and creativity
– Communication skills
– Teamwork
– Resilience
– Planning and organization
– Ethics and integrity
Is the PPI the same as a recommendation?
In short… no.
Recommendation Letter
• Standardization across evaluators
• Format varies by recommender
• Six key attributes covered
• Attributes vary by recommender
• 5 evaluators required
• Generally 2 – 3 required
Case Study
Application: MS Information Technology
Prior degree: BS Computer Science
Internship: Life insurance industry
GRE scores: 157(V); 170 (Q); 3.0 (A)
GPA: 2.9/4.0
PPI Scores (out of 5.0):
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Knowledge and Creativity: 4.9
Communication Skills: 4.8
Teamwork: 4.9
Resilience: 4.6
Planning and Organization: 4.8
Ethics and Integrity: 4.8
Evaluator’s remarks:
“Ms. Shays, one of my best students, never fears
challenges. She selected to learn a new software
program, one of the most complicated ones, even
though I recommended one that consumed less time.
She told me she wanted to accumulate more
experience with the desired system. Through
studying by her own and consulting with me, she
finally mastered the system. Her perseverance and
research potential indeed left me with a deep
impression.”
Faculty remarks for waiver:
Included direct quotes from four of five evaluators
and closed wavier request with “These characteristics
are all highly desirable for students who will be able
to thrive in our program.”
Result: Waiver approved
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What the Evaluator Sees
What the Evaluator Sees
What the School Sees
What the School Sees
PPI Steps
1. Make an appointment with your advisor TODAY.
2. Contact the schools to which you will apply to see
how each school uses the PPI for admissions.
3. Ask 5 recommenders to complete a PPI for you.
Advisors, instructors, supervisors, and employers who can comment on your personal
attributes and readiness for graduate study
4. Sign up on the ETS website (free with GRE registration).
5. Monitor your PPI account and send reports to selected
schools.
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Advantages of the PPI
1. Highlights intangible skills
2. Gives the committee a complete sense of you
3. Balances more quantitative admissions metrics
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Are there disadvantages to the PPI?
1. PPI scores expose strengths as well as weaknesses.
TIP: self-assess using students in your major
2. You cannot preview the PPI before sending your scores.
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Conclusion
“ I believe that it is often the non-cognitive skills
that make the difference between success
and failure.
The PPI does not compensate for a marginal GRE or
GMAT, but it provides additional information on the
student to allow us to better evaluate the
whole student.”
Dean
Office of Graduate Education
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Resources
• Educational Testing Service
– http://www.ets.org/ppi