Getting stripes: Educational achievement and study strategies used by sergeant promotional candidates

This paper examines the link between higher education and performance on the written portion of the promotional process for the rank of police sergeant. The results indicate test scores correlate positively with educational achievement. However, this effect is strongly related to the number of different study methods candidates use when preparing for the test. While a college degree appears useful in promotional competition, candidates who lack such a formal credential can mitigate its advantage by relying upon multiple study methods.