SAT or No SAT? ACT or no ACT? These are the Questions
This is a very controversial topic. Even within my own mind, I have a conflict on this subject. On the one hand, it is so obvious that there is very little determining value on the scores one receives on his/her SAT or ACT. On the other hand, there must be some objective factor weighted in the admission process and it seems that the standardized tests are that element. So, as much as I would love to see all colleges and universities abolish the tests in their admission decisions, I am here, as one highly opinionated, education-focused person, saying that these tests - contrary to what this New York Times article says - will, in some form, live on in infamy.
First, let us cover the factors leading up to the reasoning why the SAT/ACT college entrance exams are controversial:
1) These tests are timed and pressured. This is an unfair disadvantage for students with anxiety issues.
2) The knowledge tested is such a small portion of the knowledge necessary for success in college and beyond.
3) They don’t actually test critical thinking skills as much as they test one’s ability to . . . take tests!
4) They favor the wealthy. In other words, these tests favor those students who can afford to get test preparation, who can afford to take the test several times, who can devote time to studying intensively, etc . . .
These are 4 solid reasons why most want to abolish the SAT/ACT. Because, while the initial creation of the test was to level the playing field for all applicants, it has grown, as all things do over time, to favor those who have the resources to master the challenge.
Now, let us look at some of the reasons why the test, in my opinion, will not be entirely eliminated, for a long, long time (if ever):
1) You Need a Leveler: Grade inflation and the level of difficulty in earning a an A grade at “high school X” is extremely different from the same letter grade at “high school Y”. There has to be a leveler.
2) The Affluent Will Always Have More Opportunity: The fact that those with the greatest resources can better master the tests doesn’t really make a difference. Wealthier families can also hire tutors for high school classes, connect their kids to various community service organizations for their resume building, help their kids afford traveling sport and activity organizations, and even hire people to help with the college application and essay-writing process. So, even if you do away with one unfair element, there will always be a way for students with means to create more opportunity.
3) College Admissions Needs a Qualifier: Because of the Common Application and online applications, most students now apply to 7-10 colleges and universities. And this number will continue to grow. This means that there has to be some initial qualifier for student applications to pass into the second round of reviews - where essays are read, recommendations are taken into consideration and the entire application is gauged. The SAT/ACT, GPA and strength of curriculum are the initial criteria to determine whether to dismiss a student’s application or to progress it in the process.
4) It’s Not the Best Way to Increase Applications: Too many colleges and universities are constantly looking for ways to increase their application numbers. However, instead of eliminating the SAT/ACT, it would make a lot more sense for colleges to just eliminate the college application essay. In other words, if colleges and universities are looking to up their application numbers, they will not eliminate the college entrance exam - they will just lower any sort of minimum requirements, and/or eliminate the college application essay (or make it optional).
It’s sad. Isn’t it? We are gauging our students on information that we know (based on lots of research and data) has little to no effect on their future success.
Anyhow, this is just how I see it. Love it or hate it. We’ve known that these tests have been imperfect for quite a number of years. Yet, they’re still here today. And they will be tomorrow. No one has died from the test yet. You won’t either. So, do your best to prepare yourself. But, like everything else, realize that there is a cost-benefit to these tests. Is it worth hours every day, sleepless nights and gallons of Red Bull just to get a little higher score so you might get accepted to a school that is just a touch more prestigious (in name) than another? To each his own . . .
October 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I found this post very interesting. I agree with you that there will always have to exist some kind of leveler. Whether that will be SATs or other tests remains to be seen. I think institutions will shift how they weigh the importance of test scores but its unclear what will weigh more heavily in the overall “weighted average”. As for how well someone tests, and whether anxious students can cope with test-taking, I think that it can always be argued (fairly or not) that test-taking (and achievement in general) are part of the pressures of young adult life and test scores are an indication of how students will perform academically and in the “real world.” I know a great number of anxious professionals who nonetheless “soldier on” in their professional life, since that is expected of all of us.
From what I can glean, I think there will be an increasing weight put on extracurricular activities such as volunteer work; I think social media will continue to have an exponentially intense impact as admissions offices consider not just social media profiles such as facebook and MySpace, but also the increasing body of written and creative work (image/photography/music) found on blogs and sites such as Flickr and Deviantart.
We’re going to have a completely new mix of factors, eventually. Which factors fall to the bottom and which rise to the top will be greatly determined by who those admissions people are. As younger more tech-savvy professionals move into admissions positions, we will see a huge shift. A applicant’s “identity capital” - who they present themselves to be, with whom they are networked, what they write, photograph and design (online and off!) will weigh against test scores, recommendations, entrance exams, and essays. I see the traditional entrance essay fading in importance.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:21 am
I liked this post a lot, and I think you did a good job of considering things that a lot of anti-test people neglect, like the fact that wealthy families have an advantage in all aspects of the admissions game, not just when it comes to the SAT.
And actually, that’s what I wanted to post about here-I’ve put up some sites where students can access a full-length, top-quality SAT course, as well as a forum where they can discuss the SAT with one another and ask me anything they want about the test. It’s been getting a really good response. My goal is to make it so that every test-taker makes a perfect score. (I know that’s not going to be easy to achieve, but I’m big believer in dreaming big:) .)
The main site is http://www.mysterytutor.com, if you or your readers are interested. I’d love to get your thoughts on it. In the meantime, keep up the good work!
April 15th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I read your blog for a long time and must tell that your posts always prove to be of a high value and quality for readers.
March 24th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Very interesting - continue to spread the word. Looking forward to an update. For too long now have I had the need to begin with my personal blog. Guess if I put it off any longer I’ll never ever take action. I’ll be sure to add you to my Blogroll. Many thanks!!