The Great SAT Debate

By: Erica Wasserman

 

In an article from Inside Higher Ed titled Renewed Debate on SAT and Wealth Scott Jaschik discusses a new study  released in the journal Psychological Science, which found that the SAT is a strong predictor of academic success of a student’s first year in college (Jaschik, 2012). The study looked at over 143,000 students ranging from diverse backgrounds and  further found that the SAT gives, “…equal predictive accuracy for students for across a range of socioeconomic groups” (Jaschik, 2012). The take home message being that socioeconomic status is not a factor indicating student success on the SAT, and that having the test be optional for the college admissions process is not valid. The twist in this study is that the led author is a consultant for the College Board; the company that designs and administers the SAT to high school students in the United States, leading critics to believe bias and financial motive were involved. The authors of the study suggest that the SAT is designed to show “‘real differences in learning and skill acquisition’’, rather than differences in socioeconomic status.

                So what really counts? What is the true predictor of academic success and college readiness for high school seniors? Some suggest grades, particularly grades in college preparatory courses (AP course).  Looking at the student as they rank in their particular school or district rather than setting them against all students across every district or state. This factors in socioeconomic status and wealth of that particular state/district, which can account for funding and resources a school lacks. Others, like the authors of this study, believe standardize testing in specific subjects like reading, writing, and mathematics will shed light for readers at colleges and universities. As I found this summer working in an undergraduate admissions office at small private college in Southern California, you cannot look at a single piece, but rather the entire puzzle that makes up a student. This university takes a holistic approach when looking at applicants. There are GPA and score requirements to gain that acceptance letter, but parts of a student such as their personal statements, community involvement/service, and activities outside of their academic life are a strong consideration. This particular university values community involvement and social justice, and they want a student body that reflects those ideals. The university terms it “Peoplehood”; being involved and committed to outreach, the betterment of society, and the community at large. I found that when reading student’s applications, I could be freer to look at every aspect of the student instead of pushing their application to the side if they only held a 2.5 GPA in their second semester of their junior year. I think larger colleges need to adopt a variation of a holistic approach when reading applications.  It can be difficult when going through thousands of applications per cycle, however, connecting the pieces together can give you a better concept of who a student is, and how they will succeed at your university, rather than dismissing them for average SAT scores.