Nonlinear Psychometric Thresholds for Physics and Mathematics

Cardinal_Fang
Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:01:57 +0000

Student A. Scores 580 on SAT math at one sitting, doesn’t bother to retake because GPA is high enough to guarantee admission at state. U.

Student B. Scores 540 on SAT math, enrolls in prep course, studies and retakes SAT 2 more time, scoring 680 math on third try.

What is the difference between innate ability of student A and student B?



We have no idea. The most we know is that if right now, Student A walked into the kind of math or math-intensive science class that is appropriate for majors, he or she would probably struggle. Students in such classes are expected to have SAT-type math at their fingertips.

Non-calculus-based Statistics at college is a class appropriate for people who aren’t good at math. It doesn’t involve any math, just some rather dull recipes, and it’s pitched at a lower level than a math class for physics majors or math majors. So success in such a class doesn’t say much about mathematical ability.