Session K08: Rethinking Graduate Admissions

Typical physics PhD admissions parameters limit access to underrepresented groups and US citizens but fail to predict doctoral completion.

Through a multivariate statistical analysis of a sample that includes roughly one in eight students who entered physics PhD programs from 2000-2010, we find that the traditional admissions metrics of undergraduate GPA and the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) Quantitative, Verbal, and Physics Subject Tests do not predict completion in US physics graduate programs with the efficacy often assumed by admissions committees. We find only undergraduate GPA to have a statistically significant association with physics PhD completion across all models studied. In no model did GRE Physics or GRE Verbal predict PhD completion. GRE Quantitative reached statistical significance in two of four model specifications, though the magnitude of its validity was limited: the PhD completion probability changes by less than 10% for students with 10th vs 90th percentile scores among test takers that were physics majors. Noting the significant race, gender, and citizenship gaps on the GRE tests, these findings indicate that the typical physics PhD admissions process is a deterrent to increasing representation of women and people of color: misuse of GRE scores selects against already-underrepresented groups and US citizens with tools that fail to robustly predict PhD completion.   

Comparing Student and Faculty Perceptions of Graduate Admissions

Students' perceptions of graduate admissions may significantly influence their choices towards graduate school (including possibly not even applying because of perceived barriers) especially for students who have been traditionally marginalized from physics. For students who nonetheless apply to graduate school, decisions about which graduate school to choose may be influenced by socio-economic concerns, career expectations and interests, and prior academic and research experiences. On the other hand, faculty have a strong and direct influence over which students are given the opportunity to pursue graduate studies, which also have implications for the diversity of the physics community. In this talk, I present the combined results of the Post-Graduation Career Intentions (PGCI) and the earlier survey on graduate admissions practices of faculty. The PGCI survey captured data from over 1000 U.S.-based physics majors in the academic year 2016-2017 while the graduate admissions survey received responses from faculty representing over 75\% of PhD-granting physics departments in 2013-2014. We find that prospective students and faculty agree on the importance of certain factors in admissions decisions (including GRE scores and letters of recommendation) but differ on others (including prior research experiences and publications). Further, we find that a significant number of departments report using GRE scores as a cutoff in admissions, despite longstanding recommendations against the use of this practice. The implications of these findings for the future diversification of the physics community will be discussed.   

Identifying Barriers to Applying to Graduate Physics Programs, An Intersectional Approach

Intersectionality, the interaction of multiple identities and power dynamics, has implications regarding the access and opportunities afforded to individuals. For ethnic/racial minority students that are underrepresented in physics, their ethnic/racial identities interact with other identities in ways that create barriers for applying, and in some cases, getting admitted to graduate school. The purpose of this study was to identify those barriers. Through a content analysis of student responses to an open-ended question on the APS Bridge Program application, themes regarding barriers to applying were determined. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with first year graduate students in the APS Bridge Program to expound on these themes. In this talk, I will present the themes identified and share the story of one of the APS Bridge Program participants that illustrates the ways in which the impact of her multiple social identities influenced her decision not to apply directly to graduate physics programs.   

APS Bridge Program: Changing the Face of Physics Graduate Education

In nearly every science, math, and engineering field there is a significant falloff in participation by underrepresented minority (URM) students who fail to make the transition between undergraduate and graduate studies. The American Physical Society (APS) has realized that a professional society can erase this gap by acting as a national recruiter of URM physics students and connecting these individuals with graduate programs that are eager to a) attract motivated students to their program, b) increase domestic student participation, and c) improve the diversity of their program. Now in its fifth year the APS has placed enough students into graduate programs nationwide to \textit{eliminate this achievement gap}. The program has low costs, is popular among graduate programs, and has inspired other departments to adopt practices that improve graduate admissions and student retention. This presentation will review project activities, present data that demonstrate effectiveness, and discuss future actions.