Predictive Validity of Entrance Examination on the Academic Performance of BSHRM and

BSHTM Freshmen Students

By: Rizza D. Velasco

ABSTRACT

The study aims to determine the predictive validity of entrance examination of Bachelor of
Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM) and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality
and Tourism Management (BSHTM) freshmen students in the school year 2013-2014. It utilized
the descriptive correlation design in studying the Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT), Non-Verbal
Intelligence Test (NVIT) and Grade Point Average (GPA) of the respondents. Pearson r
correlation coefficient was used to interpret data. Results showed that BSHRM freshmen
students has fair performance in GPA (Major), poor performance in GPA (GECs) and GPA
(Total) while average low performance in VIT and average performance in NVIT. On the other
hand, BSHTM freshmen students performed fairly in GPA (Major), GPA (GECs) and GPA
(Total) while average performance both in VIT and NVIT. The results further implied that VIT
and NVIT scores could not forecast academic performance of BSHRM and BSHTM freshmen
students. Thus, admission policy and screening process and materials should be reviewed by
the admission committee for further improvement or changes if needed.

Keywords: entrance examination, academic performance, verbal intelligence test, non-verbal

intelligence test

INTRODUCTION

The Philippine educational system has a general practice to require freshmen students to
undergo entrance examination in order to determine their readiness for tertiary education in all
fields. The entrance exam is commonly used with the assumption that knowledge and skill can
be measured quantitatively (Hudson, et.al, 1993). If a student achieves a certain score on the
given test, that student is considered college-ready (Belfield and Crosta 2012). With this, higher
education institutions (HEIs) are interested in predicting the academic achievement of students
since the test result is used when deciding whether the student is accepted or not in the school
or program. As such better scores in entrance exam is considered a basic requirement for
admission to university programs.

In the University of Saint Louis, the College Guidance Center administered a placement
examination to incoming freshmen. The test is categorized as Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT) and
Non Verbal Intelligence Test (NVIT), however, this admission test is conducted not to measure
the learnings but the potential of the students in the future. Admission in a course or program is
usually made after taken the placement exam in which the test result is used to assist entering
college freshmen to select appropriate course or program aligned with their skill set in the
university.

On the other hand, earlier studies had focused on determining the relationship of admission test
and academic performance of students. This was examined from various courses and programs
but the findings of these studies and conclusions showed different results. A study conducted
by Belfield and Crosta (2012) stated that placement test scores are positively but weakly
associated with college grade point average. This means that admission test scores alone do
not yield strong predictions of how student will perform in college. Despite of the number of
studies that examined the predictive validity of admission tests with respect to various courses
or programs, there seem to be no studies made in the field of hotel and restaurant management
and hospitality and tourism programs that explores a possible correlation between an entrance
exam and their academic performance. Thus, the proposed study intends to determine the
possible correlation between the result of entrance examination and the academic grades of
freshmen students.

Statement of the Problem

This study sought to determine the predictive validity of entrance examination of BSHRM and
BSHTM freshmen students.

Specifically, it answered the following questions:

1. Can the Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT) scores predict the following:
a. Total Grade Point Average (GPA)
b. Grade Point Average (GPA) of Major
c. Grade Point Average (GPA) of General Education Courses (GECs)

2. Can the Non Verbal Intelligence Test (NVIT) scores predict following:
a. Total Grade Point Average (GPA)
b. Grade Point Average (GPA) of Major
c. Grade Point Average (GPA) of General Education Courses (GECs)

Hypotheses

The study proved the following hypotheses:

1. The entrance test scores are significantly related to the academic performance of
BSHRM and BSHTM students.
2. The VIT and NVIT scores can predict the academic performance of BSHRM and
BSHTM students.

Significance of the study

The result of this study will be significant to the USL administrators and policymakers as it will
provide guidance in developing better admission policy and screening process given to
incoming freshmen in predicting academic performance. It will also inform intervention programs
and further research that can be designed to enhance success and retention rates of the
existing admission policy and career placement of students.

Theoretical Framework Underpinning Theory (specific literature that gives support to the
conduct of the study)

This study is anchored on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory which states that
“_______________________.
As shown in the paradigm (figure 1) this study probed into determining the presence of
relationship between results in the Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT) and Non Verbal Intelligence
Test (NVIT) and Academic Performance.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Entrance Exam Academic

Result: Performance

 VIT
 NVIT

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

METHODS

The study made use of descriptive correlational analysis since it seeks to determine any
possible correlation between the scores in the entrance examination and the average grade of
BSHRM and BSHTM freshmen during the first semester S.Y. 2013-2014. The study made use
of Pearson r to determine the relationship of the entrance examination and the student’s grade
point average. Their scores in Verbal Intelligence Test (VIT) and Non Verbal Intelligence Test
(NVIT) and their corresponding average grade were determined from the data gathered by the
College Guidance Center and the Registrar respectively. The study utilized the data from the
standardized test administered to all freshmen students enrolled in the BSHRM and BSHTM
programs with the following:

*Significant at α = 0.05 level

**Significant at α = 0.01 level

Legend:

GPA: 95-99- Excellent VIT: 96-106 – Superior NVIT: 45-48 – Superior

90-94 - Very Satisfactory 85-95 - Above Average 40-44 - Above Average High
85-89 - Satisfactory high 35-39 - Above Average
80- 84 - Fair 74-84 - Above Average 30-34 - Average High
75-79 - Poor 62-73 - Average High 25-29 - Average
50-61 - Average 20-24 - Average Low
39-49 - Average Low 15-19 - Below Average
28-38 - Below Average 10-14 - Below Average Low
17-27 - Below Average Low 6-9 - Low
 6-16 - Low

RESULTS

Table 1: Correlation of VIT Scores with College GPA in the Entrance Examination of
BSHRM Freshmen Students

Variables Mean Description Pearson-r Decision

GPA(Total) 79.6652 Poor .567** Significant
VIT 47.1579 Average Low
GPA (Major) 80.6915 Fair .467** Significant
VIT 47.1579 Average Low
GPA (GEC) 79.7204 Poor .602** Significant
VIT 47.1579 Average Low

The table shows that the academic performance of BSHRM freshmen students perform fairly in
their GPA (Major) while perform poorly in GPA (GEC) with an average of 79.72% and GPA
(Total) with an average of 79.66% respectively. Also, the freshmen perform average low in their
VIT scores. The table further shows that the VIT scores are negatively correlated to their GPA
(Total), GPA (Major) and GPA (GEC) which suggests that the VIT scores could not forecast the
success of BSHRM freshmen in their academic performance.
Table 2: Correlation of NVIT Scores with College GPA in the Entrance Examination of
BSHRM Freshmen Students

Variables Mean Description Pearson-r Decision

GPA(Total) 79.6652 Poor .509** Significant
NVIT 27.9737 Average
GPA (Major) 80.6915 Fair .527** Significant
NVIT 27.9737 Average
GPA (GEC) 79.7204 Poor .533** Significant
NVIT 27.9737 Average

The table shows that BSHRM freshmen students scored average in their NVIT. It also shows
that students perform fairly in GPA (Major) with an average of 80.69% while perform poorly in
GPA (Total) and GPA (GEC). The table further shows no correlation between the NVIT and
GPA Total, GPA (GEC) and GPA (Major) which indicates that the academic performance of
BSHRM freshmen students cannot be predicted by their NVIT examination.

Table 3: Correlation of VIT Scores with College GPA in the Entrance Examination of
BSHTM Freshmen Students
Variables Mean Description Pearson-r Decision
GPA(Total) 81.3448 Fair .429** Significant
VIT 51.8522 Average
GPA (Major) 82.5304 Fair .737** Significant
VIT 51.8522 Average
GPA (GEC) 81.4222 Fair .491** Significant
VIT 51.8522 Average

The table shows that BSHTM freshmen students perform fairly in their GPA (Total) with an
average of 81.34%, GPA (Major) with an 82.53% and GPA (GEC) with an average of 81.42%.
Also, their VIT scores has an average performance but it still connotes that their VIT scores
cannot forecast the success of BSHTM freshmen in their academic performance.

Table 4: Correlation of NVIT Scores with College GPA in the Entrance Examination of
BSHTM Freshmen Students

Variables Mean Description Pearson-r Decision

GPA(Total) 81.3448 Fair .351** Significant
NVIT 29.7217 Average
GPA (Major) 82.5304 Fair .529** Significant
NVIT 29.7217 Average
GPA (GEC) 81.4222 Fair .436** Significant
NVIT 29.7217 Average

The table shows a negative correlation in the NVIT scores and the GPA (Total), GPA (Major),
GPA (GECs). This means that the NVIT scores cannot predict the success in the academic
performance of BSHTM freshmen students in their GPA Total, GPA major subjects and GPA
GEC subjects. The table further shows that the higher the NVIT scores, the higher the GPAs in
the above mentioned areas.
DISCUSSION

The table shows that the academic performance of BSHRM freshmen students perform fairly in
their GPA (Major) while perform poorly in GPA (GEC) with an average of 79.72% and GPA
(Total) with an average of 79.66% respectively. Also, the freshmen perform average low in their
VIT scores. The table further shows that the VIT scores are negatively correlated to their GPA
(Total), GPA (Major) and GPA (GEC) which suggests that the VIT scores could not forecast the
success of BSHRM freshmen in their academic performance.

The table shows that BSHRM freshmen students scored average in their NVIT. It also shows
that students perform fairly in GPA (Major) with an average of 80.69% while perform poorly in
GPA (Total) and GPA (GEC). The table further shows no correlation between the NVIT and
GPA Total, GPA (GEC) and GPA (Major) which indicates that the academic performance of
BSHRM freshmen students cannot be predicted by their NVIT examination.

The table shows that BSHTM freshmen students perform fairly in their GPA (Total) with an
average of 81.34%, GPA (Major) with an 82.53% and GPA (GEC) with an average of 81.42%.
Also, their VIT scores has an average performance but it still connotes that their VIT scores
cannot forecast the success of BSHTM freshmen in their academic performance.

The table shows a negative correlation in the NVIT scores and the GPA (Total), GPA (Major),
GPA (GECs). This means that the NVIT scores cannot predict the success in the academic
performance of BSHTM freshmen students in their GPA Total, GPA major subjects and GPA
GEC subjects. The table further shows that the higher the NVIT scores, the higher the GPAs in
the above mentioned areas.

 These recent reports all misunderstand that a placement test is a measure

of achievement and, therefore, using predictive validity is the wrong
approach to evaluate a placement test- A Placement test is a basic skills
achievement test that measures skills proficiency (e.g., in reading, writing
and/ or mathematics^ The purpose of a placement test is to assist entering
college students to select appropriate beginning courses aligned with their
skill set. A placement test is not a test that should be used to predict success
in college courses or in college itself. Placement tests assess the skills or
proficiencies of the students at the time of the testing and should be used
with multiple variables as an integral part of a counseling/advising process
to place students in beginning college courses.
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-2803200901/editorial-what-do-placement-tests-measure

CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
 References

Belfield, C.R. & Crosta, P.M. (2012). Predicting Success in College: The Importance of
Placement Tests and High School Transcripts. Retrived November 19, 2019, from
https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/predicting-success-placement-tests-
transcripts.pdf

Hudson, J. B., Mcphee, S. A., & Petrosko, J. (1993). The Relationship Between Tests, Course
Placement, and the Academic Performance of College Freshmen. NACADA Journal, 13(2), 5–
14. doi: 10.12930/0271-9517-13.2.5

Tupas, S. V. (n.d.). Entrance Examination and Academic Grades: Basis for

Predicting Students' Performance. Retrieved on November 18, 2019 from http://www.jblcf-
bacolod.edu.ph/tupas.php

Morante, & A., E. (2012, April 1). Editorial: What Do Placement Tests Measure? Retrieved from
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-2803200901/editorial-what-do-placement-tests-measure.

Assumptions:
1. Independent of case: Cases should be independent to each other.
2.
3. Linear relationship: Two variables should be linearly related to each other. This can be
assessed with a scatterplot: plot the value of variables on a scatter diagram, and check if the plot
yields a relatively straight line.
4. Homoscedasticity: the residuals scatterplot should be roughly rectangular-shaped.
Properties:
1. Limit: Coefficient values can range from +1 to -1, where +1 indicates a perfect positive
relationship, -1 indicates a perfect negative relationship, and a 0 indicates no relationship exists..
2. Pure number: It is independent of the unit of measurement.  For example, if one variable’s
unit of measurement is in inches and the second variable is in quintals, even then, Pearson’s
correlation coefficient value does not change.
3. Symmetric: Correlation of the coefficient between two variables is symmetric.  This means
between X and Y or Y and X, the coefficient value of will remain the same.
Degree of correlation:
1. Perfect: If the value is near ± 1, then it said to be a perfect correlation: as one variable
increases, the other variable tends to also increase (if positive) or decrease (if negative).
2. High degree: If the coefficient value lies between ± 0.50 and ± 1, then it is said to be a
strong correlation.
3. Moderate degree: If the value lies between ± 0.30 and ± 0.49, then it is said to be a medium
correlation.
4. Low degree: When the value lies below + .29, then it is said to be a small correlation.
5. No correlation: When the value is zero.
Related Pages:
 Conduct and Interpret a Bivariate (Pearson) Correlation
 Correlation (Pearson, Kendall, Spearman)