A national study of student selection practices in the allied health professions

Allied health education program directors must often deal with a selective admissions policy that results in large numbers of rejected applicants. This study reports the national outcomes of a 1978 survey of candidate selection practices in four baccalaureate level and seven associate degree level allied health disciplines. A total response rate of 53% (451 of 848 programs) was achieved. The survey evaluated the content of the selection process (types of selection variables and weighting of data sources) and the process or mechanics of applicant selection (selection committees, interviewing, data quantification, and evaluation of the process). The applicants' academic records and interview outcomes were primary data sources. Few programs conducted evaluation of their admissions activities. Physical therapy and dental hygiene programs, the most competitive curricula in terms of applicant numbers at each educational level, evidenced the greatest degree of structure in student selection. The authors propose guidelines designed to address some of the admissions weaknesses revealed by the survey.