This spring, a new test, called the Collegiate Learning Assessment, might play a role in determining the fate of seniors at about 200 colleges across the United States.
This newly proposed “Exit Exam” is a standardized, comprehensive test, and it mimics the Scholastic Aptitude Test high school students are often required to take.
Jerome Lavelle, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Engineering, said the test was likely proposed in response to a movement that criticizes the effectiveness of a college education. According to a 2010 survey conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, only one out of four employers think that two- and four-year colleges adequately prepare students for the working world.
“We’ve all heard the studies that have come out recently that show a college degree really may not make that much of a difference at all,” Lavelle said. “This is likely a way for colleges to validate themselves.”
He also said it’s unlikely N.C. State students will have to take the CLA + this spring.
“I am not aware of any discussions at N.C. State to consider implementing such a test,” Lavelle said.
Michael Mullen, vice chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, echoed Lavelle’s sentiment.
“I am unaware of the SAT for job applicants,” Mullen said. “There have been no discussions about this here at N.C. State.”
So far, the CLA + is not mandatory at any college. According to The Wall Street Journal, the test is voluntary and costs $35. As opposed to measuring specific subject knowledge, including math and history, the test measures critical thinking, analytical reasoning, document literacy, writing and communication. Notable schools that will offer the test this spring include all of those in the University of Texas system and Marshall University in West Virginia.
Rebecca Houser, a senior in Applied Nutrition Science, said she isn’t convinced about the usefulness of the test and that real world experience matters more than a number on a page.
“It’s kind of like putting your GPA on your resume,” Houser said. “That’s just a number to me. I’ve talked to several people who own their own businesses, and they’re looking for experience not actually their GPA.”
Houser said this isn’t the response colleges should take to prove their worth.
“It’s not about the colleges trying to differentiate themselves — it’s about the students trying to differentiate themselves,” Houser said. “It’s about going out and getting jobs and getting experience and working really hard.”
If N.C. State enacts a policy requiring students to take the CLA +, or something similar, Houser said it wouldn’t affect her future plans. However, she thinks it could alter the plans of someone who isn’t as confident in his or her major as she is.
“I really want to go into nutrition so I’m willing to work for it because I’m already working four years into my degree,” Houser said. “But for someone who’s kind of on the border — where they’re not really sure what they want to do when they graduate — taking an extra test would just add a lot of extra stress.”
A 2012 IBM poll found that 85 percent of college students report feeling stressed on a daily basis. This kind of stress is exactly what Houser thinks a test like the CLA + will increase.
“I think that that’s completely unnecessary because we already have enough pressure trying to find jobs when we graduate and taking our final exams,” Houser said. “Final exams in and of themselves are stressful without having to think about studying for an SAT.”
