




































BECE. Newsletter 

BECE, Vol.9, No.2, 2021 1278 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the “Application-

assessment” Admission Method in Doctoral Student 

Enrollment 

By Wang, Y.S., & Wang, Y.J. 
Correspondence to: Wang, Y.S., Nanjing University. E-mail: 

yashuangwang@nju.edu.cn  

STUDY published in Degrees and Postgraduate Education took doc-

toral students from a university in double-first-class construction as an 

analysis sample. Firstly, the Logit regression analysis method was used to 

investigate the differences between doctoral students admitted through “ap-

plication-assessment” method and those through none “application-

assessment” methods. Secondly, Tobit regression and propensity value 

matching methods are used to compare the difference in scientific research 

output between doctoral students admitted through the “application-

assessment” method and those admitted through other methods. In addition, 

this study also analyzed the disciplinary differences in scientific research 

output between the two categories of doctoral students. In this study, doctoral 

students admitted through “application-assessment” method are set as the 

treatment group, and those enrolled under the MD-PhD program, through 

general examinations and through exemption of examination are combined to 

form the control group. In terms of scientific research output, considering the 

influence of disciplines and the level of paper publication, the scientific out-

put is weighted according to the existing research, and the grade is averaged 

according to the actual situation of investigation. Other variables are divided 

into three dimensions: individual characteristics, college background and 

training process. Individual characteristics include gender and academic aspi-

rations; college background refers to the type of college at undergraduate and 

postgraduate stages; the training process variables involve tutors, scientific 

research training, and academic level. In the Logit regression analysis, this 

study uses individual characteristics and academic background as covariates.  
 

 

 

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A 

mailto:yashuangwang@nju.edu.cn


 

BECE, Vol.9, No.2, 2021 1279 

The results of the study are as follows: 

 The logit regression analysis results show that, when other varia-

bles controlled, compared with those enrolled under the MD-PhD 

program, through general examinations and through exemption of 

examination, the doctoral students admitted in “application-

assessment” method have higher academic aspirations, though 

less advantaged in college background. 

 Tobit’s full-sample regression analysis results show that, under 

the premise of controlling other variables, compared with doctoral 

students admitted through other methods, doctoral students admit-

ted through the “application-assessment” method have higher sci-

entific research output during their PhD. 

 The results of sub-sample regression analysis show that in science 

and engineering, the scientific research output of doctoral stu-

dents admitted through the “application-assessment” method is 

significantly higher than that of doctoral students admitted 

through other methods; in the humanities and social sciences, the 

scientific research output of doctoral students admitted through 

the “application-assessment” method is higher than that of doc-

toral students admitted by other enrollment methods, but it is not 

significant at the 5% level. 

 The analysis results of the control variables show that academic 

aspirations and relevant scientific research experience (hosting 

projects, participating in international conferences) can increase 

the scientific research output of doctoral students, but factors such 

as gender, whether the tutor is a returnee, whether there is an as-

sociate tutor, and college background have no significant impact 

on the research output of doctoral students. 

 The results of the robustness test of the propensity value matching 

method are consistent with the results of the Tobit regression 

analysis, and both show that the “application-assessment” method 

has a positive talent selection effect, and this positive selection ef-

fect has certain disciplinary heterogeneity. 

Based on the research results, the following two points are concluded: 

First, the doctoral students admitted through the “application-assessment” 

method are not advantaged in college background, but they have higher aca-

demic aspirations. Second, the research output of doctoral students admitted 

through the “application-assessment” method is higher them that of doctoral 

students admitted through non “application-assessment” methods. during the 

PhD period. 

In view of this, the research suggests: First, colleges and universities 

should continue to promote the reform of the doctoral student enrollment 

system, further improve the “application-assessment” method, weaken the 

concern about the applicant’s college background, and make the “applica-

tion-assessment” method more scientific and efficient. The “application-

assessment” method should be improved to facilitate the fair selection of 



 

BECE, Vol.9, No.2, 2021 1280 

doctoral students with high comprehensive ability and research potential. Se-

cond, colleges and universities should pay attention to the differences in dis-

ciplines when selecting doctoral students through the “application-

assessment” method. While intensifying the reform and development of the 

“application-assessment” method in science and engineering disciplines, di-

versified enrollment paths should be explored in the selection of doctoral 

candidates in humanities and social sciences. Third, this study has the fol-

lowing shortcomings: (i) It did not analyze the specific differences between 

doctoral candidates admitted through the “application-assessment” method 

and those enrolled under the MD-PhD program, through general examina-

tions and through exemption of examination. (ii) The survey samples of this 

study come from universities in “double first-class” construction, and wheth-

er the research results can be extended to other types of universities remains 

to be further tested. 

 

Source: Degree and Graduate Education, 2021; 2021(9):49-55.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 


