My SAT question of the day was who doesn’t love the SAT? Personally, I can’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday than filling in those tiny bubbles and exercising my calculator.
The SAT is notably one of the most important tests a high schooler will take. A bad score=bad college. Bad college=bad job. Bad job=no money. If the math section was that easy, I would get an 800. However, the SAT may no longer be the end all, be all of getting into college. More universities are implementing an “SAT Optional” option, opening the door for many students.
Bates College, located in Maine, is one of many that no longer require the SAT. The school experienced a sharp increase in applicants from minority and blue-collar backgrounds. It also encouraged students with disabilities to apply.
Allowing students to choose whether or not to send in their scores avoids the bias associated with the SAT.
It has been long debated whether or not the SAT is prejudice against minorities and females. African Americans consistently score lower than whites who have the same GPAs. The College Board added a reading about minorities to the test in order to save face. While it may be more politically correct, reading about Martin Luther King Jr. isn’t going to raise anyone’s score. Girls also often suffer test scores that do not match their intelligence. According to Up My Score, this occurs because the SAT demands students “to be cocky and rush through things,” qualities encouraged mostly in boys, not girls.
The most blatant and hardest to curb advantage is money. It may not buy happiness, but it sure does a number on your score. Simply going to a better school with high-salary teachers helps. A big part of scoring high is learning how to take the test—what questions to skip, order, and other strategies. Those $700 classes are expensive for a reason.
For those who cannot afford the pricey classes, fear not. The College Board website has some helpful tips. For example, the first tip for math is “read the directions, then answer the question.” After reading this useful information, I can just feel my chances of getting into college going up.
Even if you are a white male with a country club membership, nothing is reassuring about one test defining your future. The test doesn’t necessarily predict how students will do in college. While its nice to use words like “neophyte” (someone who is experienced) and “tantamount” (equivalent to something else) more should matter in the application process.
Another problem is that the SAT only tests Math and English, ignoring other essential subjects. The SAT 2 Subject Tests offer students to be tested in other areas, however some are ridiculously hard and match with the level of AP tests.
More than anything, those who submitted scores and those who didn’t submit scores have minimal differences. According to research done by Bates, submitters’ GPA averages were only .05 higher than nonsubmitters and the graduation rate difference was only one percent. Non-submitters generally majored in creative fields and were equally successful as submitters.
The real difference between those who submitted and those who didn’t submit is that those who didn’t may not have applied if they were forced to share their SAT scores. If making the SAT optional promotes more students to gain a college degree, isn’t it worth a try?
