Aptitude tests are widely used for selecting medical students. Although their validity has been well documented, aptitude tests are sometimes suspected to create unequal opportunity for candidate groups with lower socioeconomic status due to limited resources (i.e., time, money, support) for preparatory activities. This study aims to explore how preparatory activities and money spent on preparation affect the results of the German aptitude Test for Medical Studies (TMS).
A standardized questionnaire was administered to all medical school applicants who sat the TMS in 2018. Participants were asked about the amount of time and money spent on different preparatory activities (i.e., information booklet, books, computer, study groups, and fee-based training courses) and their level of motivation during preparation. Univariate and multivariate multiple regressions were used to examine the influence of these variables on the TMS test score and its subtests.
The findings indicate that motivation may be a more important predictor for success in the TMS than money spent on preparation. As books were the most effective and cost-efficient way of preparation, financial investments for test preparation do not appear to yield significant advantages, which is an important prerequisite for equal opportunity. Using more field-specific subtests and cost-free online training opportunities could be useful in further improving equal opportunity.