The A-próf – the Icelandic college admission test - were first held in 2012 and are currently used by three departments of the University of Iceland as well as being used as part of larger admissions test battery by two additional divisions. Prior to the introduction of the A-próf admission and only after the first semester were selective exams held, where as few as 20% of students could continue to the second semester. This has been problematic for the college divisions in question and for students as well, some of the spending several years trying to get into a specific division without success.

Now that data on the experience of four divisions at the University of Iceland is emerging the objective is to make an attempt to evaluate the validity of the A-próf.

The data used are results from the use of the A-próf, first semester GPA, and faculty evaluation of the use of A-próf as part of the admissions criteria.

Among the results presented are results regarding student performance, including correlations, first semester completion rates, and on evaluation of faculty of the relevant divisions will be presented, as well as rational from division that have considered the use of A-próf but have so far decided against it. So far the data on student performance have shown the correlations of A-próf with first semester GPA to be upwards of r=0,50, passing rate after first semester or first year have improved drastically (an increase from about 50% to about 80% for economics), correlations for repeat test takers about r=0.90,  and the divisions have been able to introduce less “mass instructional methodsâ€.

The A-próf is a recent admissions test with only a short history of use and limited research. Yet the data gathered so far draws a positive picture of its use in the college divisions where it has so far been used.