New test aims to measure what students learned in college

Hundreds of colleges around the United States have signed on to a program that administers comprehensive tests—after students have completed their education.

Called the Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus, or CLA Plus, the test is similar to the SATs that students took before being admitted to college. Proponents of the tests say they are a valuable tool to fight the effects of grade inflation.

If they like their scores, students will have the option of including them on their resumes when they go looking for a job. Employers may find the results more trustworthy than a college transcript or a GPA.

“Employers want to see something they can rely on,” said Michael Poliakoff, vice president of policy at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune . He said the test would substantiate “just how valid those grades on a transcript are.”

Should college graduates have to demonstrate their knowledge and critical-thinking skills? And are tests the best way to do that?