Critical thinking: a future skill—or old wine in new bottles?
In the August issue of HE Admissions Insights, our international survey on key competencies for academic success ranked critical thinking as the #1 competency across disciplines. Critical thinking has been mentioned frequently in recent years—by universities, employers, and policymakers. It is also included in lists of “future skills”. That raises practical follow-up questions for admissions […]
Planning and organizing capabilities in study aptitude tests
I’d like to introduce a unique subtest we use in study aptitude assessments to measure planning and organizing capabilities—something our competitors don’t offer. This module is part of the GTEBS exam, where it has shown high predictive power for final grades. It is also used in the admission test of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation […]
Why should students pay the bill? Reducing test taker fees and improving fairness!
University admission tests should not discriminate against low-SES applicants. However, high test-taker fees could lead to inequality of opportunity. Therefore, in Germany, there is an upper limit of 100 Euro gross. Why do some admission tests exceed this limit by factor 2 or even 3? The reasons are obvious: Good tests need financial resources for […]
Enhancing Academic Success for International Students
Why international student success matters Countries renowned for their high educational standards continue to attract students from around the world. Among the most popular destinations are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Canada. However, the academic journey for international students is not without its challenges. Dropout rates among international students often exceed […]
How to Recognize a Good Study Aptitude Test: A 5-Point Checklist
How can you tell whether a study aptitude test is good? Psychologists have detailed checklists with hundreds of questions—but here’s a much shorter version with 5 key questions every admissions professional should ask. The wrong question to start with: “Who else is already using this test?”It’s tempting to assume that if other institutions use a […]
What Influences Our Study and Career Choices?
The process of choosing a field of study or a career is rarely linear or simple. Why? Because it’s shaped by a complex web of influences—both internal and external. 1. Endogenous (internal) factors like age, gender, intelligence, and aptitude play a crucial role. 2. At the same time, exogenous (external) factors—those outside our immediate control—add […]
How to Compare GPAs from Different Countries? The Bavarian Formula Explained
When selecting students from a global pool of applicants, comparing high school GPAs (HSGPA) across different grading systems can be a challenge. To ensure objective comparisons, the use of one or several standardized admission tests like SAT, ACT, ITB-Business (undergraduate studies) and GMAT, GRE, GTEBS (graduate studies) is recommended. However, if you still need to […]
European Data Protection and Study Aptitude Tests
We have to admit—Sometimes data protection feels like a never-ending bureaucracy. More forms to fill out, another penetration test, another lengthy contract to draft. At ITB we take care of ensuring that we meet all the requirements of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Why do we go through all this for study aptitude […]
Mastering Complexity in a Fast-Paced World: A Modern Approach to Talent Assessment
In today’s increasingly complex and fast-moving world, the ability to manage complexity, stay organized, and self-regulate has become a key factor for success—not only in the workplace but also in academic settings. This growing demand for cognitive agility is reshaping what we need to assess when selecting students, professionals, and future leaders. Why Complexity Management […]
5 Measures to reduce academic dropouts
Higher education is of immense importance for Germany as a centre of science and research. To ensure that universities can provide a large number of academically qualified specialists in the future despite limited resources (e.g. number of study places), it is all the more important to guarantee academic success. Unfortunately, however, it is not uncommon […]