Frequently Asked Questions about the GMAT™ Validity Study Service.
If the answer to your question does not appear here, please don't hesitate to contact us.
What is the GMAT Validity Study Service?
The Validity Study Service provides statistical analysis of admission and performance data for free when schools submit their data to GMAC. The results can be used to evaluate the admissions process and provide documentation supporting admissions decisions.
What data do I need to conduct this study?
The best way to submit data would be to provide a limited amount of personal information about your students which we would use to gather GMAT scores and other examinee information from our database. Privacy policies regarding the use of data for research purposes are clear regarding data that is allowed to be shared and the data is treated with the utmost confidentiality. You will also need to submit the grades of your admitted students, preferably in the form of mid-program or core course GPA. Including other data, such as employment information or grades in specific classes will enhance your report and the information you have about your admissions and your program.
How many students do I need to conduct a study?
We recommend at least 100 students, but it is possible to conduct a study with much fewer. To increase the size of the dataset and improve the precision of the study, we often recommend combining multiple years of data or multiple programs.
How often should I conduct a validity study?
We recommend that each program conduct a study at least once every three years, though more frequent studies may be necessary if there have been significant changes in your program.
Can I customize the Validity Study to fit my program?
Absolutely! The uniqueness of individual programs is why conducting validity studies is so important. You can define additional predictors and different outcome measures. You can specify subgroups of students that you are interested in studying. GMAC staff members are available to help you design a study that will best answer your program’s needs and can be contacted at vss@gmac.com.
What will I gain by conducting this study?
The report you receive contains valuable information about your admissions factors, such as the relative importance of each of the factors studied predicting academic performance, the value of the admissions process over open admission, a probability of success table that can help you identify students who may be at risk of academic difficulty, and comparisons of groups of students.
The report is written in language that is non-technical and easy to understand and contains numerous graphs and charts for ease of interpretation. A sample report 
is available to give you an idea of what to expect. In addition, our statisticians are available for one-on-one consultation to review the report on request.
Where can I get more information about conducting a validity study?
For additional information, please e-mail vss@gmac.com.