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 Stuff by Josh Vander Hook

Conscientiousness is (almost) all you need

Why do GPA and ACT scores matter? Recently, there’s been some pushback against standardized tests and college entrance exams. It begs the question: What is all this testing good for? After all, well-to-do families and students can spend more time preparing for these exams, making them an unfair indicator of wealth moreso than IQ. I propose: They are not a measure of ability but of rule-following, self-regulation, and preparadness. If this is true, the fact that you can study for these tests isn’t a bug, but a feature. view full post
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Why do GPA and ACT scores matter?

Recently, there’s been some pushback against standardized tests and college entrance exams. It begs the question: What is all this testing good for? After all, well-to-do families and students can spend more time preparing for these exams, making them an unfair indicator of wealth moreso than IQ.

I propose: They are not a measure of ability but of rule-following, self-regulation, and preparadness. If this is true, the fact that you can study for these tests isn’t a bug, but a feature. If we were measuring IQ or “raw” ability for some kind of meritocratic system, we’d want a test you could not study for.

So why measure someone’s ability (and willingness) to study? Becasue then we’re measuring conscientiousness. And, it turns out conscientiousness is (almost) all you need.

Let’s rewind

Undergraduate GPA predicts lifetime earnings1, incoming test scores and GPA are highly predictive of undergraduate GPA2, advanced degrees (which increase earnings), and increased earnings within degrees 3, 4. I suggest these effects are because being a good student aka “eating books” is correlated with conscientiousness. They show up to lectures, prepare, and test well. And while test scores may be influenced by socioeconomic status, once that is removed, they are still an excellent predictor of grades2.

And conscientiousness is very highly correlated with lifetime achievement, AND fufillment 5. So measuring conscientiousness, and signalling high conscientiousness is a really good idea.

IQ is great, but conscientiousness is how you get things done 6

Related: creation is our higher purpose

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9004755/ ↩︎

  2. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED562860.pdf ↩︎

  3. https://mpreiner.medium.com/what-is-the-impact-of-your-high-… ↩︎

  4. https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/research-summaries/education… ↩︎

  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498890/ ↩︎

  6. https://docs.iza.org/dp8235.pdf ↩︎

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