UT Austin's GRADE Algorithm Reportedly Reduced Review of Lower-Scored PhD Applicants Amid Bias Concerns
From the 2013 through 2019 admissions cycles, UT Austin's Department of Computer Science used GRADE, a statistical machine-learning system trained on past admissions decisions, to score and organize PhD applications. Critics said the system could reproduce historical admissions inequities and reduce attention to lower-scored applicants, while UT Austin said human reviewers still evaluated each file and later discontinued the tool.
- Date it happened
- 2012-12-01
- Organisation involved
- University of Texas at Austin's Department of Computer Science, Risto Miikkulainen, Austin Waters
- Product, system or model
- GRaduate ADmissions Evaluator (GRADE), Automated admissions screening systems
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