Abstract
This presentation provides OT practitioners working in the academic setting with an overview of the admissions process used by an OT program and the importance of criteria for admissions, primarily the Verbal Reasoning section of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). A binary logistic regression was used to analyze the data to determine whether the GRE was a significant predictor of a first-time pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. The results were significant (p < .00) for the Verbal Reasoning section.
Primary Author and Speaker: Don M. Bradley
Additional Authors and Speakers: John Luna
Contributing Authors: Roel Garcia
The graduate record examination, or GRE (ETS.org, n.d.) has long been a staple in the admissions to US graduate programs. However, recently some graduate programs have dropped the requirements of the GRE (Sciencemag.org, 2019) from the application process possible due to research questioning the value of GRE scores as predictors of success in graduate school (Jacobson, 1993). In the field of occupational therapy, many masters level occupational therapy programs continue to require the GRE (ETS.org, n.d.) as part of the admission process. The rationale behind this seems to justify admission of candidates who are qualified not only to complete the educational curriculum, but who will be capable of passing the national certification exam (NBCOT.org, n.d.), required for licensing in all 50 states. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively examine the admission records of former occupational therapy students previously enrolled in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's occupational therapy program to determine if there is any relationship between the students GRE scores and their first-time pass rate on the NBCOT exam. The GRE is developed and administered by test maker ETS to provide graduate and business schools with common measures for comparing applicants’ qualifications and preparedness for graduate-level academic work. Graduate School admissions committees look at the GRE score, along with the academic record and supporting materials, to assess the readiness for the rigors of graduate academic study. The GRE exam measures the command of basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis as well as college-level vocabulary. More importantly, it measures the ability to analyze and evaluate written material, think critically, and solve problems. The National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapist is a national not-for-profit organization that provide certification for occupational therapy professionals. NBCOT develops, administers, and continuously reviews it certification process based on current and valid standards that provides reliable indicators of competence of occupational therapy practice. Initial certification from NBCOT is required for licensure in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. This scale score ranges between 300 and 600. A scaled score of 450 or above is required to pass the exam. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. A binary logistic regression was used to analyze the data to determine whether or not the GRE was a significant predictor of a first-time pass rate on the NBCOT exam. The results were significant (p < .00) for the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE. The Quantitative Reasoning section did improve the model, but the Analytical Writing section had no effect on the model, nor did it affect the outcome of the study when all three sections were included in the model.
ETS.org. (n.d.), Retrieved May 29, 2020, from https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores
NBCOT.org. (n.d.), Retrieved May 29, 2020, from https://www.nbcot.org/
Hebert, David J & Holmes, Alan F. (1979). Graduate Record Examinations Aptitude Test Scores as a Predictor of Graduate Grade Point Average. Educational and Psychological Measurement, v39, n2, p415-20, Sum 1979.
Jacobson, R. L. (1993). Critics Say Graduate Record Exam does not measure qualities needed for success and is often misused. The Chronicle of Higher Education, March, pp. 27-28.