Gender Bias in College Admissions Tests

[Sheldon Cooper]

For the first several years the SAT was offered, males scored higher than females on the Math section but females achieved higher scores on the Verbal section. ETS policy-makers determined that the Verbal test needed to be “balanced” more in favor of males, and added questions pertaining to politics, business and sports to the Verbal portion. Since that time, males have outscored females on both the Math and Verbal sections. Dwyer notes that no similar effort has been made to “balance” the Math section, and concludes that, “It could be done, but it has not been, and I believe that probably an unconscious form of sexism underlies this pattern. When females show the superior performance, ‘balancing’ is required; when males show the superior performance, no adjustments are necessary.”

http://www.fairtest.org/facts/genderbias.htm

There are some other interesting tidbits in the linked article.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

1. I worked for ETS...

...for a short time. I can't say I'm surprised.

[Sheldon Cooper]

2. That's interesting that you worked for them.

Along with gender bias, I understand they have quite a bit of racial bias as well. The information I quoted was taken from a 1976 study, and I wonder if ETS has taken any steps since then to address these concerns. I certainly hope so.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. My experience is not current

I think about 13 - 14 years ago. At the time I was involved in software test. The pervasive academic atmosphere appeared to under value that area of endeavor. My coworkers were predominantly female and intelligent but for the most part uncredentialed and, AFAI saw, not respected for their ideas or opinions. Most were part timers with families and young children. The test cases were specifically repetitive, simple and mind numbing.

Management, what I saw of it, was exclusively white males who were inordinately proud of the letters after their names, more so than they were about their abilities at contributing useful. My contract was ended (I was canned) about 7 business days after I started. My supervisor's manager (who was the only female I encountered other than my part timer coworkers) seemed to be overly worried about her job and being replaced.