Actually, to me the most disturbing part is that the average *VERBAL* GRE score for people doing English Lit. is 561. Compare that to the average Math score for people doing Physics (747). Kind of makes you wonder about a lot of the people getting Ph.Ds in English... The Educational Admin thing? Frankly I'm surprised the Math score is that *high.*
Those are old numbers. The GRE isn't even scored on that scale any more.
You can find newer numbers at http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide_table4.pdf
There you can see that the writing scores are worst for computer science and electrical engineering (worse even than elementary ed). Math is lowest for social work, early childhood ed, and student counseling. Verbal is worst for computer science, electrical engineering, and early childhood ed.
I think that the bad numbers for CS and EE are driven mainly by the huge numbers of foreign students taking the GRE to get into those programs, which are the most attractive programs for grad students from China and India.
The highest verbal scores are in philosophy. The highest math scores are in (wait for it) math (and materials engineering). The highest writing scores are in philosophy.
The philosophers do better in math than the rest of the humanities do, but not as well as the physical sciences or engineering.
No, Anonymous, I understand that you were trying to provide evidence that educational administrators are less intelligent or less educated than other people who have gone to grad school. It is probably even a true statement. I just wanted to point you to a newer data source that could actually be used to compare with current GRE scores (until the College Board decides to change the scale yet again—I think they want to be sure that no one can compare different cohorts of students).
Something that rings false about these data is the statement that these are scores for college seniors planning to go into "educational administration." Say what? I've never heard of anyone going into ed administration straight from undergrad studies, and in fact most education administration programs require previous teaching experience or related work. It's not a straight-from-college option, generally speaking. So exactly who comprise the data pool here? Is it all GRE takers who are applying to grad school in Ed. Admin., or only those who are current undergraduates?
I'm guessing that the future administrators are the "non-enrolled graduates". But even then, do many future administrators even sit for the GRE? I didn't think that he on-line degree programs require them. So those statistics may actually be inflated.
Actually, to me the most disturbing part is that the average *VERBAL* GRE score for people doing English Lit. is 561. Compare that to the average Math score for people doing Physics (747). Kind of makes you wonder about a lot of the people getting Ph.Ds in English... The Educational Admin thing? Frankly I'm surprised the Math score is that *high.*
ReplyDeleteThose are old numbers. The GRE isn't even scored on that scale any more.
ReplyDeleteYou can find newer numbers at http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide_table4.pdf
There you can see that the writing scores are worst for computer science and electrical engineering (worse even than elementary ed). Math is lowest for social work, early childhood ed, and student counseling. Verbal is worst for computer science, electrical engineering, and early childhood ed.
I think that the bad numbers for CS and EE are driven mainly by the huge numbers of foreign students taking the GRE to get into those programs, which are the most attractive programs for grad students from China and India.
The highest verbal scores are in philosophy. The highest math scores are in (wait for it) math (and materials engineering). The highest writing scores are in philosophy.
The philosophers do better in math than the rest of the humanities do, but not as well as the physical sciences or engineering.
I think you’re missing the point, which is that educational adminitrators are idiots. Glancing at the new data I don’t see anything that changes.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - you are too much!
ReplyDeleteYou have to join and start writing posts.
the average *VERBAL* GRE score for people doing English Lit. is 561
ReplyDeleteThat struck me, too.
Seems awfully low.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNo, Anonymous, I understand that you were trying to provide evidence that educational administrators are less intelligent or less educated than other people who have gone to grad school. It is probably even a true statement. I just wanted to point you to a newer data source that could actually be used to compare with current GRE scores (until the College Board decides to change the scale yet again—I think they want to be sure that no one can compare different cohorts of students).
ReplyDeleteSomething that rings false about these data is the statement that these are scores for college seniors planning to go into "educational administration." Say what? I've never heard of anyone going into ed administration straight from undergrad studies, and in fact most education administration programs require previous teaching experience or related work. It's not a straight-from-college option, generally speaking. So exactly who comprise the data pool here? Is it all GRE takers who are applying to grad school in Ed. Admin., or only those who are current undergraduates?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that the future administrators are the "non-enrolled graduates". But even then, do many future administrators even sit for the GRE? I didn't think that he on-line degree programs require them. So those statistics may actually be inflated.
ReplyDelete