Are all admission sub-tests created equal? - Evidence from a National Key University in China

•The correlations of subject test scores with undergraduate grade vary according to Gaokao tracks.•Furthermore, the Gaokao subjects related to the learning during university show their strong correlations with undergraduate grade.•The findings provide a reference for universities to reform admissions procedures and to improve the quality of their admissions.

In China, higher education admissions are rigorously based on the total scores of admission tests. Admission subject tests, however, each have different relationships with undergraduate academic performance. Undergraduate academic performance is an important reference variable in applying for graduate schools and finding employment. Admission measures considering the relative importance of subject tests could be employed to select academically more able applicants. Subjects comprise Chinese, mathematics, English, and a comprehensive subject. Data are collected from a national key university in China. The empirical results show that the correlation of subject tests with undergraduate academic performance always differs, and that the pattern varies according to admission track and academic discipline in the university. The conclusions are robust to different specifications and over time. Policy implications are also discussed.