The Predictive Validity of IELTS and Vietnam High School Graduation Examination English Test: Evidence from English Majors

Abstract

The university admissions testing scenario in Vietnam has seen a mix of different tests, including the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Vietnam High School Graduation Examination (VHSGE). This study investigated the predictive validity of IELTS and VHSGE English test scores on GPAs of a population of 99 English Language majors at a university in Vietnam for 2022 intake and also compared their GPAs, factoring in the admission tests and VHSGE admissions blocks. Pearson correlation analysis revealed no significant relation between students’ first-year GPA with VHSGE English scores and IELTS scores. However, independent sample t-tests confirmed that GPAs in most English courses and first-year GPA of students recruited by IELTS were higher than those of students with the VHSGE English test. Additionally, analysis by VHSGE admissions blocks indicated a few significant correlations between VHSGE English test scores and students’ GPAs, and one-way ANOVA tests confirmed a statistically significant difference in VHSGE English test scores but no differences in GPAs among these blocks. The findings highlight the importance of further consideration for the use of these test results for university enrollment and the provision of EAP courses to supplement newly-admitted English Language majors with academic skills for university success.