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Change in Field of Study From Undergraduate to Graduate School: Creation of a GRE Data Base for Studying Talent Flow GRE GREB

Author(s):
Grandy, Jerilee E.; Robertson, Nancy J.
Publication Year:
1992
Report Number:
RR-91-58
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
126
Subject/Key Words:
Graduate Record Examinations Board, Databases, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), Graduate Study, Majors (Students), Specialization, Trend Analysis

Abstract

In this project, we designed a special GRE talent flow data base from 1978 to 1987 having three different structures. The first is an individual examinee file in which one record exists for each test taker. The record is short and identically formatted from year to year. The second structure is a matrix in which rows correspond to intended graduate fields of study and columns correspond to undergraduate majors. One hundred major fields are arranged in a rational order. Contained within the cells of the matrices are statistics such as numbers of test takers, mean GRE verbal score, percentage planning to earn a doctorate, numbers of minorities, and so forth. The third matrix structure collapses the 100 specific fields into 10 general fields. All three data bases are on computer files for public use; the matrices are available in hard copy as well. During the project, we demonstrated some uses of the data base and devoted considerable effort to the design of graphic representations that could clearly express various aspects of talent flow. Selected findings of trends are included in this report.

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