Admissions tests usually refer to tests designed to find candidates suitable for higher education. Such tests and other forms of entrance examinations can be made mandatory for applicants in a country or region to take or they may be specific to a university or a university program. This entry first discusses the roles and importance of admissions tests, the principles on which they are based, and their history. It then looks at how admissions tests can be characterized and issues in admissions testing.

In an admission decision, there are two fundamental roles that a test can fulfill: to identify candidates who have sufficient knowledge to be able to complete an education (eligibility) and to rank the candidates and to make a selection in cases where there ...