Beyond the GRE: Using the PPI to Highlight Skills That Don’t Show Up on Standardized Tests Christina Murray Associate Director of Graduate Admissions Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

Welcome Raise your hand if you are… – concerned about how an admissions committee will view your grades or test scores; – uncertain about how to improve your likelihood of admission to graduate school; – preparing to take the GRE this fall; – familiar with the Personal Potential Index (PPI); – in regular and meaningful contact with your advisor about graduate school.

Oldest technological institute in the country 70% of graduate students are in the STEM fields 25-30% acceptance rate across graduate programs GRE/GMAT is required of all applicants PPI is optional Largest user of the PPI nationally The PPI factored into 25 – 30 successful waiver requests at Rensselaer in Fall 2012.

How does the PPI affect admissions? “A student may have a poor GMAT, but if his PPI scores on resilience and tenacity are very high, then I would conclude he is more likely to succeed – if he is doing poorly the student will continue to try until he gets it right. I would admit a student like this any day.” Dean Office of Graduate Education Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

An evaluation system that helps an admissions committee predict your potential for success in graduate school. What is the PPI? The PPI measures personal potential by evaluating personal attributes (eg. resilience and communication skills) rather than subject mastery and is a complement to traditional evaluation methods like the GRE.

What does it measure? Six critical personal attributes: – Knowledge and creativity – Communication skills – Teamwork – Resilience – Planning and organization – Ethics and integrity

Is the PPI the same as a recommendation? In short… no. Recommendation Letter Standardization across evaluators Six key attributes covered 5 evaluators required Format varies by recommender Attributes vary by recommender Generally 2 – 3 required

Case Study 8 Application: MS Information Technology Prior degree: BS Computer Science Internship: Life insurance industry GRE scores: 157(V); 170 (Q); 3.0 (A) GPA: 2.9/4.0 PPI Scores (out of 5.0): – Knowledge and Creativity: 4.9 – Communication Skills: 4.8 – Teamwork: 4.9 – Resilience: 4.6 – Planning and Organization: 4.8 – Ethics and Integrity: 4.8 Evaluator’s remarks: “Ms. Shays, one of my best students, never fears challenges. She selected to learn a new software program, one of the most complicated ones, even though I recommended one that consumed less time. She told me she wanted to accumulate more experience with the desired system. Through studying by her own and consulting with me, she finally mastered the system. Her perseverance and research potential indeed left me with a deep impression.” Faculty remarks for waiver: Included direct quotes from four of five evaluators and closed wavier request with “These characteristics are all highly desirable for students who will be able to thrive in our program.” Result: Waiver approved

What the Evaluator Sees

What the School Sees

PPI Steps 13 1.Make an appointment with your advisor TODAY. 2.Contact the schools to which you will apply to see how each school uses the PPI for admissions. 3.Ask 5 recommenders to complete a PPI for you. Advisors, instructors, supervisors, and employers who can comment on your personal attributes and readiness for graduate study 4.Sign up on the ETS website (free with GRE registration). 5.Monitor your PPI account and send reports to selected schools.

Advantages of the PPI 14 1.Highlights intangible skills 2.Gives the committee a complete sense of you 3.Balances more quantitative admissions metrics

Are there disadvantages to the PPI? 15 1.PPI scores expose strengths as well as weaknesses. TIP: self-assess using students in your major 2.You cannot preview the PPI before sending your scores.

Conclusion “I believe that it is often the non-cognitive skills that make the difference between success and failure. The PPI does not compensate for a marginal GRE or GMAT, but it provides additional information on the student to allow us to better evaluate the whole student. ” Dean Office of Graduate Education Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Resources Educational Testing Service Educational Testing Service –