MHA admission criteria and program performance: do they predict career performance?
The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent admission criteria predict graduate school and career performance. The study also analyzed which objective and subjective criteria served as the best predictors. MHA graduates of the University of Minnesota from 1974 to 1977 were surveyed to assess career performance. Student files served as the data base on admission criteria and program performance. Career performance was measured by four variables: total compensation, satisfaction, fiscal responsibility, and level of authority. High levels of MHA program performance were associated with women who had high undergraduate GPAs from highly selective undergraduate colleges, were undergraduate business majors, and participated in extracurricular activities. High levels of compensation were associated with relatively low undergraduate GPAs, high levels of participation in undergraduate extracurricular activities, and being single at admission to graduate school. Admission to MHA programs should be based upon both objective and subjective criteria. Emphasis should be placed upon the selection process for MHA students since admission criteria are shown to explain 30 percent of the variability in graduate program performance, and as much as 65 percent of the variance in level of position authority.
D002322:Career Mobility; D003625:Data Collection; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004651:Employment; D005544:Forecasting; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000193:education*; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008910:Minnesota; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000639:trends*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D014481:United States