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SATs need to be reconsidered
by Richard Alterbaum
Op-Ed | 10/7/08
Posted online at 5:51 AM EST on 10/7/08
/ Last updated at 3:20 AM EST on 10/7/08
SAT. Three letters that bring back bad memories, hours of cramming and endless anxiety. As a first-year here, I can clearly recall meticulously poring over every vocabulary word, practice exam and test-taking strategy in the hopes of getting that grade I needed. Which I did. But the question still lingers: Do the SAT and ACT have too much influence on the college admissions process?
Members of the annual conference of the National Association for College Admission Counseling recently examined the roles of standardized admissions tests. Although no official decisions were made, several provocative points were raised and debated at the session, including whether colleges should be more transparent about how they utilize the scores of their applicants; the tests are used properly and fit in with the overall messages of different colleges; the SAT is a reliable indicator of one's grades in college; it would be better to make these assessments optional and have other factors, like GPA, play a greater role. Also, attendees noted that wealthier students, who have access to more tutoring and mentoring, have unfair advantages over those who can't afford such luxuries.
Brandeis, for instance, places a great emphasis on the SAT in particular. The common application to the school has no real supplements other than an optional interview, which means that the factors that are there, like standardized test scores, play a greater part in the procedure. This forces applicants to become much more competitive in building their credentials.
The students that I spoke to held mixed opinions on the importance of standardized examinations. Bryan Belok '12 supported the SAT, opining that you "can't BS" on the test. Additionally, he "like[s] that the SAT is different," but qualified that its overall function in the admissions process really "depends on the college."Nick Makowski '12 actually thought the SAT was "too easy," and that it's "not a good measure as to how smart you are."
Members of the annual conference of the National Association for College Admission Counseling recently examined the roles of standardized admissions tests. Although no official decisions were made, several provocative points were raised and debated at the session, including whether colleges should be more transparent about how they utilize the scores of their applicants; the tests are used properly and fit in with the overall messages of different colleges; the SAT is a reliable indicator of one's grades in college; it would be better to make these assessments optional and have other factors, like GPA, play a greater role. Also, attendees noted that wealthier students, who have access to more tutoring and mentoring, have unfair advantages over those who can't afford such luxuries.
Brandeis, for instance, places a great emphasis on the SAT in particular. The common application to the school has no real supplements other than an optional interview, which means that the factors that are there, like standardized test scores, play a greater part in the procedure. This forces applicants to become much more competitive in building their credentials.
The students that I spoke to held mixed opinions on the importance of standardized examinations. Bryan Belok '12 supported the SAT, opining that you "can't BS" on the test. Additionally, he "like[s] that the SAT is different," but qualified that its overall function in the admissions process really "depends on the college."Nick Makowski '12 actually thought the SAT was "too easy," and that it's "not a good measure as to how smart you are."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Bekah
posted 10/07/08 @ 9:44 AM EST
I disagree. The SAT is the closest thing to an objective measure of aptitude. GPAs are wildly inflated, and were personal interviews to become that important, personal interview coaching would take over the test-prep industry. (Continued…)
Wei-Huan Chen
posted 10/08/08 @ 6:29 PM EST
"For example, I think colleges should place more emphasis on interviewing and seeing the student not just as another statistic but as a human being."
This is simply not practical with many colleges receiving 1000+ interviews every year. (Continued…)
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