Filed under Testing …

Fewer Pupils Qualify for Gifted Programs

The numbers of children qualifying for seats in gifted programs in New York City public schools declined this year, the Education Department said on Friday, though they were still far higher than when citywide admissions testing began a few years ago. Of the 14,605 children tested this year for admission to gifted kindergarten classes in … Continue reading →

More Indian Students Taking U.S. Graduate School Test

The number of Graduate Record Examinations taken by students in India increased 70 percent in 2013 from the year before, according to figures released last month. The G.R.E. is the entrance test used by most graduate-school programs in the United States. The numbers, from the Educational Testing Service, a nonprofit company that administers the G.R.E., … Continue reading →

Class Action Suit Hits at Core of Popular Online Nursing Program

In February, 17 students from 11 states filed a class-action lawsuit against Excelsior College alleging some details of the distance learning program for the accredited nursing associate degree (ADN) were withheld and others misleading. The students, who are seeking $10 million in damages, claim they were not given adequate details about fees and failure rates … Continue reading →

Faculty Protest Reforms They say “Dumb Down” Higher Ed

Universities in South Dakota, Nebraska and other states have cut the number of credits students need to graduate. A proposal in Florida would let online courses forgo the usual higher-education accreditation process, while a California legislator introduced a measure that would have substituted online courses for some of the brick-and-mortar kind at public universities. Some … Continue reading →

Virginia Lawmakers Call For Fewer SOL Tests

Some local lawmakers are leading a charge to reduce the number of standardized tests that Virginia students must take and to transform the tests themselves to assess more advanced skills. Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria) introduced a bill to reduce the number of end-of-year tests and allow teachers to use project-based assessments instead. “A lot of … Continue reading →

GED Test Overhauled; Some States Opt for New Exam

The General Educational Development (GED) test, for decades the brand name for the high school equivalency exam, is about to undergo some changes. Today, an upgraded GED exam and two new competing equivalency tests offered in several states will usher in a new era in adult education testing. The GED exam was created in 1942 … Continue reading →

Majority of College-Bound Students Select Wrong Majors

Selecting a major is a difficult decision for most students as it outlines their academic trajectory, defines their early career paths, and can even lock them into a particular field. It also has major consequences for higher education institutions as enrollment managers and admissions officers must effectively evaluate majors that are the right fit for students, … Continue reading →

Graduate Students Urge Changes in Comprehensive Exams

Graduate students and professors are increasingly asking whether the dreaded comprehensive examinations, which can make or break the completion of an advanced degree, should be trashed. Some professors firmly believe the tests play an important role in upholding academic standards, particularly in the humanities, and are needed to weed out students who have not mastered … Continue reading →