Outline
Main purpose
UniTEST was introduced to qualify the admission process – both in terms of increasing the quality of SDU’s educations and to improve completion and drop-out rates.
SDU also wished for a more liberal admission process in terms of assessing whether the applicant was suitable for studies on other parameters than meeting the required grade score.
Description
When you apply for admission at SDU before March 15, you’ll be invited to participate in an entrance examination. You will have to pass to be considered in quota 2. At SDU all quota 2 admissions are based on uniTEST. Here you are given the chance to prove your qualifications.
Alignment of expectations
Through uniTEST SDU obtains knowledge about the applicant’s general prerequisites for completing an academic degree. If the programme has a programme specific test as a part of uniTEST they will also get an impression of the applicants motivation. The test also gives the applicant insight in what is expected from them upon entering the university. The belief is that this gives a better foundation for succeeding.
It is preferred that the applicants participate in uniTEST on campus
To participate in uniTEST the applicants have to sign up for and show up at SDU on a specific date and bring their own computer. International applicants with a foreign degree and permanent residence abroad can participate online.
One of the main ideas behind uniTEST is that the applicants are present at SDU – this relies on the perception that the physical meeting with SDU will make the applicants more committed.
NB! From 2020 to 2022 uniTEST has only been offered online because of COVID.
A multiple-choice test evaluating general academic aptitude
uniTEST is a multiple-choice test evaluating general academic aptitude. It is not a test of knowledge within specific subjects, but a test on general prerequisites for completing an academic degree.
uniTEST tests: critical thinking (the ability to analyze, argue and make decisions), quantitative reasoning (the ability to solve problems based on quantitative informations such as numbers, spreadsheets and graphs) and verbal reasoning (the ability to understand a text and the social and cultural context of it).
Some programmes may also have programme specific tests (e.g. interviews or knowledge test). In a programme specific test the focus could be knowledge about the programme, personal skills, motivation or aims with the programme.
Applicants only have to complete the test once, even if they apply for several programmes at SDU.
The test scores are not a simple count of correct answers
uniTEST is held in April. It lasts for 2,5 hours and consists of 95 questions. Participators can achieve between 0 and 100 points. The test scores are not a simple count of correct answers.
Participants need at least 35 points to pass the test (25 if they are applying for a BEng-programme). Passing the test means that applicants are in the pool of applicants with a possibility of progressing – either to a program specific test or directly to admission depending on the program. To progress it may require a higher score depending on the number of applicants and how other applicants perform.
If an applicant doesn’t pass uniTEST, they can’t get admitted to the programme in quota 2 – regardless of the number of applicants.
The participants are asked to prepare for the test
Participants in uniTEST are asked to prepare for the test. Because they are not tested in a specific curriculum or subject area, they can’t prepare by learning in advance. Instead, they are asked to:
- Prepare for the form of the test (there are a series of questions from uniTEST available, so applicants can prepare for how the questions are designed).
- Move on instead of getting stuck (there is only a limited amount of time for each question in uniTEST, so participants shouldn’t get stuck on a question that they find difficult to answer – they should rather make a guess and then move on. It’s possible to return to the question if they have time to spare afterwards).
- A wrong answer doesn’t count against their score (therefore it is better to provide an answer instead of skipping a question altogether).
- Train their reading speed (most questions are a text passage that contains the information they need to answer the question. Therefore, it is a good idea to train and optimize reading speed – e.g. by reading books and articles in the period leading up to the test).
Background/construct
UniTEST is owned by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research).
Goals
The objective is to identify those applicants that have the best chance of succeeding at the programmes – not because of their grade score, but because of their general prerequisites for completing an academic degree.
Students involvement
The students are an essential part of the idea behind uniTEST because they are the face of SDU. It’s important that applicants meet the students.
Therefore, students are present at the uniTEST on campus and oversee the test rooms. They are also guards at the online uniTEST.
Inspiration and evidence
The Faculty of Health Science at SDU started using this.
Their experience and good results informed the decision to use uniTEST on all faculties at SDU.
Effectiveness
Yes. SDU Analytics track the effectiveness of uniTEST.
Their analysis shows that there is a correlation between low scores in uniTEST and the chance of dropping out during the first year of studies.
Evaluation
Yes. In 2020 where the applicants were asked 17 questions with both open and closed options.
The evaluation included questions on:
- The applicants experience with participating in uniTEST
- The applicant’s opinion on the content and the relevance of it
- The applicant’s opinion on participating in a digital test now and in the future.
- The applicants experience of the information level from SDU and ProctorU
- Background information on with communication channels the applicant used to get support
- Background information on the applicant’s preparation for the test (including the use of preparatory courses from an external provider), test of equipment, waiting time, disruptions, the use of remote monitoring ect.
The questions were about the applicants experience with participating in uniTEST, about the content and the relevance and the applicant’s opinion on the digital uniTEST.
The evaluation in 2020 shows that applicants perceive uniTEST as a fair way of assessing the fields of applicants in quota 2.
Earlier there was a system where applicants were given points if they have had a stay at a folk high school, had done volunteer work e.g. in developing countries and had other related experiences. That would increase their chance of getting admitted through quota 2. Those kinds of experiences are often expensive, so applicants address this in the evaluation from 2020: That this is a fair way of assessing applicants regardless of background and financial means.
Others perceive uniTEST as another potential source for inequality. They stress that it is not a good source to finding motivated students.
Communication
The applicants in quota 2 are invited to uniTEST via Optag.sdu.dk (self-service), but they are supposed to sign up for the test themselves.
There are several central webpages in both Danish and English available for the applicants with information on the uniTEST. There they can find practical information like how to sign up, where to show up etc. But also, information on how to prepare for the test and what kind of questions they will meet in the test.
Timing
UniTEST is always held in April after the applicants in quota 2 admitted their application in March. The programme specific tests are held in May and June. All applicants will receive the answer to their application on 28th of July.
Resources
The work with uniTEST starts nine months before it takes place.
Staff involved
There are 400 people at work at SDU the day uniTEST is held on campus. It’s both administrative and technical staff, student workers, examination guards etc.
For the online uniTEST there are about 250-300 people involved – some of them are online examination guards and some of them are technical staff that are on call in case of technical problems.
What material can be used to learn more and to increase transferability?
Transferability
We think it is quite easily transferable to other contexts or groups.