I__. - International Military Testing Association

Validity of Grade Point Average:
Does the College Make a Difference?
Diane L. iiomnglia, ClC
J'acobina Skinner
Manpower and Personnel IJivision
Air Force Muman Resources Laboratory
Throughout the military and private sector, undergraduate grade point
average (GPA) piays an important role in jo’b selection decisions. 'I'his
measure of academic achievement and demonstrated abiilty is widely field to
predict.employee performance. Recent literature reviews show significant but
modest relationships between GPA and employee performance both in training and
on the job (e.g., Dye & Reck, lY88). .
An issue raised by the use of GPA as a personnel selection factor
concerns the possible lack of equivalence in the grade scale across colleges.
The implication of these inequivalencies for emplojers is that expected
performance would vary among job applicants who have tne same GPA, bc;t wuo
graduated from different colleges. Research on this issue is sparse, but two
studies suggest that a school factor may moderate the GPA-performance
relationship. Dye and Reck (1988) have found correlations for graduat,es of
the same college to be higher on average than those for graduates of ditterer;t
colleges. Further evidence that college characteristics may influence tIie
predictability of GPA has been reported for Air Force officers commissiniie!;
from the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program (harrett 6 &mstroug,
_ 1989). Performance prediction was improved by considering a quality mec:sure
for the officers' college (Scott, 1984) in addition to their tipA.
The current study extends the investigation of the college and Cri issue
in the Air Force to a second officer commissioning source: the Officer
Training School (OTS) at Lackland AFB, TX. The findings of a two-phase st;xi>
of the relationship between GPAs awarded to cadets graduating from ditferen?
colleges and their subsequent performance in VI'S are reported. Yt1e study
design was previously described by Skinner and Armstrong (lY!Nj. In tile
analytic phase, the initial focus was on the validity or’ Gi?A as a cadet
selector. Both simple GPA effects and the joint effect of college anu C:,A
were investigated. If differential validity for colleges was observeo, tl:e
study design provided for an explanatory phase to identify the characte;‘i+;~;',i.~
of colleges which may be responsible.
Analytic Phase: GPA and College Relationships with Cadet Performance
The analytic phase was conducted to answer two primary questions: i, is
the GPA a valid predictor of OTS performance; and 2) is the relationship
between GPA and performance moderated by college attended?
Procedure
Method
Data were obtained from archival files maintaincc: on Xir ~'OTC.C oeiic:ers.
An initial sample of 11,619 cadets who entered (jTS between l;"?jL .g..ilil i'y?:ii ;,> w,;:. y;
identified. Source data for the primary predictor variables we:re cdc,eti'
4-year undergraduate GPA reported on a 4.0 scale rind rile colicge i*ji;il:::!
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