The selection of students for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) doctoral programs determines who will be leaders in higher education and fields that underpin the U.S. economy. For decades, this selection process has relied heavily on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a test originally developed to “level the playing field” for applicants from variously ranked educational institutions.
Unfortunately, women and students from underrepresented groups score less well on the GRE than other groups, even on the revised test instituted in 2011. This limits the pool of applicants from underrepresented groups who score above arbitrary “cut off” scores commonly used by admissions committees.
This is an…
