Dive Brief:
- Excelsior College has developed a new way of measuring college readiness with the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills, or DAACS, which it will pilot with a randomized half of students next winter and use it to identify students who are at-risk.
- eCampus News reports the assessment is made up of college skills, math, reading and writing modules, and once students complete them they are referred to resources for improvement so they can close any gaps in knowledge they may have.
- While the assessment is first going to be used for admitted students, Excelsior leaders expect it could one day replace entrance exams, offering a more holistic view of students’ skills and providing solid data to help understand student success.
Dive Insight:
Colleges seem to be increasingly aware that the standardized tests and GPAs students present as part of their admissions packets may not accurately reflect their capacity. High-achieving students from low-quality high schools end up having a harder time in college than low-achieving students from high-quality high schools. In the second group, the students have already developed strategies to ask for help and they know what high-quality work looks like. Better diagnostic tools like Excelsior’s could transform campus advising, giving both students and counselors information they need to proactively address any deficiencies. One challenge, however, may be convincing students to take the assessment seriously, as it does not factor into the admissions process or any grades.