Selection of social work students: A literature review of selection criteria and process effectiveness

This article is a review of international literature on the effectiveness of student selection processes for social work programmes. Adopting a narrative and thematic approach, we present findings from research considering whether programmes are selecting capable students, or whether there is, in fact, little or no predictive reliability between selection criteria and eventual student success. A focus on selection criteria fits within a broader context of the factors that contribute to the success of students in completing their social work programme and in their future practice. Findings suggest that there is no simple formula for selecting students who will go on to complete their social work programme, and that many of the tools used during the selection process are unreliable predictors of eventual student success. Findings also indicate that existing research is limited; further research is needed, particularly on the value of specific selection tools and measures. This article also highlights related issues that require attention, namely inherent tensions between: the values of the social work profession, which promotes diversity and life experience; the academic requirements that inform selection processes; selection bias and student recruitment; the impact of an increasingly regulated profession; and the challenges that arise when we get it wrong.