GMAT cheating worries US colleges
Thu, Dec 17, 2009
China Daily/Asia News Network
US universities are concerned about Chinese students' cheating on entrance exams across the country, according to experts.
"Anything from China is suspect in the United States now in the education realm," said Steven Dickinson, a China-based lawyer and former law professor at the University of Washington who worked with the school's admissions office to select international candidates.
The problem stems not necessarily from the students themselves but rather from the resources Chinese rely on to study for admissions tests, like the Graduate Record Examinations and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
In 2008, 98,510 Chinese students went to study in the US, growing 21 percent over 2007, a report by the Institute of International Education said. China was the second largest source of foreign students in the US after India.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which distributes the GMAT exam, sued Passion for copyright infringement after it posted "live" test questions from GMAT exams online and distributed PDFs from test books.
A Beijing court ordered Beijing Passion Consultancy Ltd on Nov 23 to pay a fine of 520,000 yuan (S$106,496) for copyright infringement and publicly apologize for its actions.
Passion, a company that has trained around one third of Chinese students applying to the top 10 American business schools, said on Tuesday that it was sorry for selling GMAT materials without authorization.
After testing materials were removed, the traffic of Passion's website dropped by 70 percent in the past week, according to Internet traffic monitoring website Alexa.com.
Chinese students frequent a number of websites that reportedly hire staff to pose as test-takers and post reconstructed "live" questions from the exams for free online. Some of the proxy test-takers have employed hi-tech gadgets, including cameras and microphones, to obtain exam material.
"They will hire people to take the test and then steal the test book," Dickinson said. "Or they will get even more nasty and get an insider to send the text book that is coming out next and then get the answers to certain tests."
Even with GMAC's litigation against Passion, many other test-prep websites exist providing materials to Chinese students facing stiff competition to get into foreign schools.
Showing posts with label GPA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GPA. Show all posts
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
8,000 students graduate from NTU this year
8,000 students graduate from NTU this year
By Rekha/ Jeremy Koh
SINGAPORE: This year's graduating cohort is the largest ever from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
The 8,000 students include those from the pioneer cohort of the School of Art, Design and Media, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
Singapore's President, SR Nathan, who is also the chancellor of NTU, attended the convocation ceremony on Thursday.
NTU's president, Su Guaning, said the university will be addressing the future challenges that it will be facing at an upcoming workshop.
His comments followed Education Minister Ng Eng Hen's recent observation that NTU should seek to distinguish itself in some fields, to be among the world's best universities.
- CNA/y
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Facebook lower GPA!!! You sure????? :/
Study Finds Link Between Facebook Use, Lower Grades in College
April 13th, 2009 by Jeff Grabmeier Facebook
(PhysOrg.com) -- College students who use Facebook spend less time studying and have lower grade point averages than students who have not signed up for the social networking website, according to a pilot study at one university.
However, more than three-quarters of Facebook users claimed that their use of the social networking site didn't interfere with their studies.
"We can't say that use of Facebook leads to lower grades and less studying - but we did find a relationship there," said Aryn Karpinski, co-author of the study and a doctoral student in education at Ohio State University.
"There's a disconnect between students' claim that Facebook use doesn't impact their studies, and our finding showing they had lower grades and spent less time studying."
While this was a relatively small, exploratory study, it is one of the first to find a relationship between college students' use of Facebook and their academic achievement.
Typically, Facebook users in the study had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0.
In addition, users said they averaged one to five hours a week studying, while non-users studied 11 to 15 hours per week.
Karpinski conducted the study with Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University. They presented their research April 16 in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association.
The researchers surveyed 219 students at Ohio State, including 102 undergraduate students and 117 graduate students. Of the participants, 148 said they had a Facebook account.
The study found that 85 percent of undergraduates were Facebook users, while only 52 percent of graduate students had accounts.
Students who spent more time working at paid jobs were less likely to use Facebook, while students who were more involved in extracurricular activities at school were more likely to use Facebook.
Science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business majors were more likely to use Facebook than were students majoring in the humanities and social sciences.
"Other research had indicated that STEM majors spend more time on the Internet than do other students, so that may be one reason why they are more likely to use Facebook," Karpinski said.
There were no differences in Facebook use between different members of racial and ethnic groups that were part of the study, or between men and women.
Younger and full-time students were more likely to be Facebook users.
Findings showed that 79 percent of Facebook users claimed it did not have an impact on their academic performance. In open-ended questions on the survey, users claimed they didn't use Facebook frequently enough to notice an impact, and emphasized that academics were a priority for them.
Karpinski emphasized that the results don't necessarily mean that Facebook use leads to lower grades.
"There may be other factors involved, such as personality traits, that link Facebook use and lower grades," she said.
"It may be that if it wasn't for Facebook, some students would still find other ways to avoid studying, and would still get lower grades. But perhaps the lower GPAs could actually be because students are spending too much time socializing online."
Karpinski said it was significant that the link between lower grades and Facebook use was found even in graduate students. She said that graduate students generally have GPAs above 3.5, so the fact that even they had lower grades when they used Facebook -- and spent less time studying - was an amazing finding.
The popularity of Facebook is evident in college lecture halls, Karpinski said. Faculty members who allow students to use laptops in class have told her they often see students on the Facebook site during class.
"It's not going away anytime soon, and we need to learn more about how Facebook use is affecting students," she said.
As for herself, Karpinski said she doesn't have a Facebook account, although her co-author does.
"For me, I think Facebook is a huge distraction," she said.
Source: The Ohio State University (news : web)
Okay, time to get off blogging and news reading! Off to study!
- wong chee tat :)
April 13th, 2009 by Jeff Grabmeier Facebook
(PhysOrg.com) -- College students who use Facebook spend less time studying and have lower grade point averages than students who have not signed up for the social networking website, according to a pilot study at one university.
However, more than three-quarters of Facebook users claimed that their use of the social networking site didn't interfere with their studies.
"We can't say that use of Facebook leads to lower grades and less studying - but we did find a relationship there," said Aryn Karpinski, co-author of the study and a doctoral student in education at Ohio State University.
"There's a disconnect between students' claim that Facebook use doesn't impact their studies, and our finding showing they had lower grades and spent less time studying."
While this was a relatively small, exploratory study, it is one of the first to find a relationship between college students' use of Facebook and their academic achievement.
Typically, Facebook users in the study had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0.
In addition, users said they averaged one to five hours a week studying, while non-users studied 11 to 15 hours per week.
Karpinski conducted the study with Adam Duberstein of Ohio Dominican University. They presented their research April 16 in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association.
The researchers surveyed 219 students at Ohio State, including 102 undergraduate students and 117 graduate students. Of the participants, 148 said they had a Facebook account.
The study found that 85 percent of undergraduates were Facebook users, while only 52 percent of graduate students had accounts.
Students who spent more time working at paid jobs were less likely to use Facebook, while students who were more involved in extracurricular activities at school were more likely to use Facebook.
Science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business majors were more likely to use Facebook than were students majoring in the humanities and social sciences.
"Other research had indicated that STEM majors spend more time on the Internet than do other students, so that may be one reason why they are more likely to use Facebook," Karpinski said.
There were no differences in Facebook use between different members of racial and ethnic groups that were part of the study, or between men and women.
Younger and full-time students were more likely to be Facebook users.
Findings showed that 79 percent of Facebook users claimed it did not have an impact on their academic performance. In open-ended questions on the survey, users claimed they didn't use Facebook frequently enough to notice an impact, and emphasized that academics were a priority for them.
Karpinski emphasized that the results don't necessarily mean that Facebook use leads to lower grades.
"There may be other factors involved, such as personality traits, that link Facebook use and lower grades," she said.
"It may be that if it wasn't for Facebook, some students would still find other ways to avoid studying, and would still get lower grades. But perhaps the lower GPAs could actually be because students are spending too much time socializing online."
Karpinski said it was significant that the link between lower grades and Facebook use was found even in graduate students. She said that graduate students generally have GPAs above 3.5, so the fact that even they had lower grades when they used Facebook -- and spent less time studying - was an amazing finding.
The popularity of Facebook is evident in college lecture halls, Karpinski said. Faculty members who allow students to use laptops in class have told her they often see students on the Facebook site during class.
"It's not going away anytime soon, and we need to learn more about how Facebook use is affecting students," she said.
As for herself, Karpinski said she doesn't have a Facebook account, although her co-author does.
"For me, I think Facebook is a huge distraction," she said.
Source: The Ohio State University (news : web)
Okay, time to get off blogging and news reading! Off to study!
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Grads & Money
Which grads earn the most? (and here)
By LIEW HANQING
FRESH graduates from the economics degree programme of the Singapore Management University (SMU) are among the best paid in their peer group, with a median starting salary of $3,300.
Those with distinctions fare even better. The corresponding figure for them is $3,750.
SMU's economics programme is among several local undergraduate courses with a 100 per cent overall employment rate for recent graduates.
Prospective students can now have a better idea of which local degree programmes offers the best pay, thanks to data released by the Ministry of Education (MOE)for the first time this year.
Its Graduate Employment Survey is based on responses from recent graduates of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and SMU.
The survey tracks employment data of graduates six months after graduation. The survey results are available on MOE's website, www.moe.gov.sg, on the 'post-secondary education' page.
The information available includes overall employment rates as well as mean and median gross monthly salaries of graduates, organised according to the degree courses offered by each university. (See table right.)
For example, about 90 per cent of mechanical engineering graduates from NUS were employed six months after graduation, with a median gross monthly salary of $2,965.
However, the economy and employment conditions have worsened since these graduates got their jobs. A spokesman for MOE said it would publish the results of the GES annually.
'The data gives prospective students a general indication of the employment conditions of the graduates from the various degree courses offered by our local universities,' he said.
He added that MOE decided to publish the survey results to help students make informed course decisions.
The survey was conducted on graduates who completed their studies between May and June last year and entered the labour market by 1 Nov.
Point of reference
Said the spokesman: 'We understand employment conditions may have changed since, but we hope that the data may still be useful as one point of reference for the students.'
The survey covers most available degree courses, but omits data from law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture, as graduates in these subjects must first undergo professional training.
Most students The New Paper spoke to felt the information was useful for those trying to choose a course of study.
Said Tan Ying Quan, 18, who has applied to both local and overseas universities: 'The information is useful because it allows students to gauge the viability of their studies in the current job market.'
He added that the availability of such employment data would prevent students from having unrealistic expectations of their starting salaries or the likelihood of securing employment upon graduation.
But undergraduate Yvonne Poon, 20, said the starting salary is just one factor that most prospective students look at when selecting a possible future career.
'When it comes to the crunch, surely pay doesn't matter that much - aptitude and passion is more important,' she said.
'You cannot brainwash yourself into developing a liking for, say, the highest- paying job around.'
Undergraduate Joanne Chia, 22, said she felt the information would help job hunters have a good idea of what to expect when they enter the job market.
She said: 'There are still quite a number of undergraduates who don't have an accurate idea of what entry-level pay to expect.
'This information would help moderate their expectations and hopefully help them pick their jobs wisely.'
She added that it would be useful if information such as the names of big-name employers, and the number of graduates they hire from each local university, are published as well.
'That would give us a good idea of our chances of being employed by the more sought-after companies,' she said.
What do you think of the survey?
- wong chee tat :)
By LIEW HANQING
FRESH graduates from the economics degree programme of the Singapore Management University (SMU) are among the best paid in their peer group, with a median starting salary of $3,300.
Those with distinctions fare even better. The corresponding figure for them is $3,750.
SMU's economics programme is among several local undergraduate courses with a 100 per cent overall employment rate for recent graduates.
Prospective students can now have a better idea of which local degree programmes offers the best pay, thanks to data released by the Ministry of Education (MOE)for the first time this year.
Its Graduate Employment Survey is based on responses from recent graduates of the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and SMU.
The survey tracks employment data of graduates six months after graduation. The survey results are available on MOE's website, www.moe.gov.sg, on the 'post-secondary education' page.
The information available includes overall employment rates as well as mean and median gross monthly salaries of graduates, organised according to the degree courses offered by each university. (See table right.)
For example, about 90 per cent of mechanical engineering graduates from NUS were employed six months after graduation, with a median gross monthly salary of $2,965.
However, the economy and employment conditions have worsened since these graduates got their jobs. A spokesman for MOE said it would publish the results of the GES annually.
'The data gives prospective students a general indication of the employment conditions of the graduates from the various degree courses offered by our local universities,' he said.
He added that MOE decided to publish the survey results to help students make informed course decisions.
The survey was conducted on graduates who completed their studies between May and June last year and entered the labour market by 1 Nov.
Point of reference
Said the spokesman: 'We understand employment conditions may have changed since, but we hope that the data may still be useful as one point of reference for the students.'
The survey covers most available degree courses, but omits data from law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture, as graduates in these subjects must first undergo professional training.
Most students The New Paper spoke to felt the information was useful for those trying to choose a course of study.
Said Tan Ying Quan, 18, who has applied to both local and overseas universities: 'The information is useful because it allows students to gauge the viability of their studies in the current job market.'
He added that the availability of such employment data would prevent students from having unrealistic expectations of their starting salaries or the likelihood of securing employment upon graduation.
But undergraduate Yvonne Poon, 20, said the starting salary is just one factor that most prospective students look at when selecting a possible future career.
'When it comes to the crunch, surely pay doesn't matter that much - aptitude and passion is more important,' she said.
'You cannot brainwash yourself into developing a liking for, say, the highest- paying job around.'
Undergraduate Joanne Chia, 22, said she felt the information would help job hunters have a good idea of what to expect when they enter the job market.
She said: 'There are still quite a number of undergraduates who don't have an accurate idea of what entry-level pay to expect.
'This information would help moderate their expectations and hopefully help them pick their jobs wisely.'
She added that it would be useful if information such as the names of big-name employers, and the number of graduates they hire from each local university, are published as well.
'That would give us a good idea of our chances of being employed by the more sought-after companies,' she said.
What do you think of the survey?
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Universities publish grade profiles as guide for course applicants
Universities publish grade profiles as guide for course applicants
By Sufian Suderman, TODAY | Posted: 13 February 2009
SINGAPORE: The days when junior college and polytechnic students engage in the guessing game - will they or won't they get a place in a coveted varsity course - may be over.
For the first time, all three public universities - Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - have published their lists of "grade profiles" for A-level students and "grade point average (GPA)" for polytechnic students to help them assess their chances of getting into the various undergraduate courses offered by the universities.
For example, for NUS' 2008 admission exercise, students who were offered places to its law and medicine faculties generally scored 4As for three H2 and one H1 subjects.
The move comes following calls by various quarters in recent years for the universities to be more transparent about their entry requirements.
Students interviewed by TODAY welcomed the publication of the lists - but some wondered if even more information could be released.
Second-year polytechnic student Gerlynn Chan, 18, said: "The universities should have done this a long time ago. However, certain courses like the Mass Communication course from NTU also require you to take several tests and interviews ... so I think they should provide more of such information regarding such aspects."
JC student Chua Han Wee, 19, who is waiting for his A-level results, feels that "grades should not be the only consideration".
"Consistency of a student's performance in co-curricular activities (CCAs) should also be taken into account." he added.
Mr Alan Goh, SMU's director of undergraduate admissions, said the grade profiles are meant to be "an indicative guide". All applicants are assessed on "SMU's holistic selection process, which includes their academic standing and CCA achievements". (here * Ed: Info may change)
An NUS spokesperson said: "The exact requirements will vary depending on the specific course and is ultimately determined by the strength of the applicant pool each year."
The publication of grade profiles has made students such as 18-year-old Khalid Khan realise that they need to study harder if they want to earn a place in the university.
The polytechnic student in media and communication said: "I'm now coming to year 3. This means I've got only a year to get a minimum of GPA 3 to have a higher chance of entering any of these local universities."
By Sufian Suderman, TODAY | Posted: 13 February 2009
SINGAPORE: The days when junior college and polytechnic students engage in the guessing game - will they or won't they get a place in a coveted varsity course - may be over.
For the first time, all three public universities - Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Management University (SMU) - have published their lists of "grade profiles" for A-level students and "grade point average (GPA)" for polytechnic students to help them assess their chances of getting into the various undergraduate courses offered by the universities.
For example, for NUS' 2008 admission exercise, students who were offered places to its law and medicine faculties generally scored 4As for three H2 and one H1 subjects.
The move comes following calls by various quarters in recent years for the universities to be more transparent about their entry requirements.
Students interviewed by TODAY welcomed the publication of the lists - but some wondered if even more information could be released.
Second-year polytechnic student Gerlynn Chan, 18, said: "The universities should have done this a long time ago. However, certain courses like the Mass Communication course from NTU also require you to take several tests and interviews ... so I think they should provide more of such information regarding such aspects."
JC student Chua Han Wee, 19, who is waiting for his A-level results, feels that "grades should not be the only consideration".
"Consistency of a student's performance in co-curricular activities (CCAs) should also be taken into account." he added.
Mr Alan Goh, SMU's director of undergraduate admissions, said the grade profiles are meant to be "an indicative guide". All applicants are assessed on "SMU's holistic selection process, which includes their academic standing and CCA achievements". (here * Ed: Info may change)
An NUS spokesperson said: "The exact requirements will vary depending on the specific course and is ultimately determined by the strength of the applicant pool each year."
The publication of grade profiles has made students such as 18-year-old Khalid Khan realise that they need to study harder if they want to earn a place in the university.
The polytechnic student in media and communication said: "I'm now coming to year 3. This means I've got only a year to get a minimum of GPA 3 to have a higher chance of entering any of these local universities."
For more information, visit the universities' respective websites.
- TODAY/fa
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