BOULDER, CO (March 25, 2025)—The role of standardized test scores in college admissions is evolving, with many institutions shifting away from the SAT and ACT. In their absence, high school GPA has become the primary indicator of college readiness, though it doesn’t account for course difficulty. A new Annenberg Institute report introduces “Transcript Strength,” a measure designed to adjust GPA based on course rigor. While promising, the report acknowledges the approach requires further research and development.

In his review of Making the Grade: Accounting for Course Selection in High School Transcripts with Item Response Theory, Michael Russell of Boston College agrees that the approach has potential but will require future refinement. The report applies a “partial credit model” from Item Response Theory—commonly used in assessment development and research—to evaluate course difficulty, generating a Transcript Strength measure. Preliminary findings suggest this tool provides insights into high school achievement distinct from GPA and SAT scores.

Professor Russell identifies several ways the report’s analyses could be improved and potential barriers to widespread adoption of the new measure. But he concludes that overall, the report’s presentation is sound and reasonable. He concurs with the report’s assertion that transcript strength holds promise from a theoretical perspective to be a more informative indicator of high school achievement than GPA, but it is not yet ready for implementation by policymakers or admission officers.

Find the review, by Michael Russell, at:
https://nepc.colorado.edu/review/gpa

Find Making the Grade: Accounting for Course Selection in High School Transcripts with Item Response Theory, written by Kenneth A. Shores and Sanford R. Student and published by Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, at:
https://doi.org/10.26300/48d6-mx29