Selection of Candidates in the Absence of a College Entrance Exam

ABSTRACT

Given the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the problems faced in conducting mass student examinations, this article explores alternatives to an in-person exam to select candidates hoping to gain admission to higher education institutions, based on available information about students and their schools. Census-based information on entrance evaluations for six annual cohorts is used to obtain a predictive model that incorporates candidates’ average grades and the historical performance of their schools of origin, measured through EXANI II. The results allow us to identify a model able to correlate to.69 the estimated and actual scores;additional scenarios were proposed with greater levels of prediction (r =.86). A discussion is offered on the implications of using high school grades, in light of their power to predict academic performance in higher education © 2022. Revista Electronica de Investigacion Educativa.All Rights Reserved.