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What the SAT meant for me and why it matters now.

test prep Apr 06, 2024

In a recent NYTimes article "The Misguided War on the SAT," David Leonhardt argues that one overlooked value of the SAT and other standardized tests is that it affords opportunities for capable students that might otherwise be overlooked in the college admissions process.

A nerdy kid like me

As a nerdy kid from large rural high school, I was the first person in my family to go to college. I had great grades and all the extracurriculars - sports, Boy Scouts, church - the whole package.

I am realizing now that the first two were probably true of everyone. Nearly everyone applying to colleges has grades and activities. But what could demonstrate that I could compete with other applicants? I was not from a fancy private school nor did I have any legacy family contacts. How else could I prove that I could compete? My SAT score was my opportunity.

In my time, my 1260 SAT was good enough to admit me to Purdue engineering.

Different time but the basic premise holds.

There are certainly arguments to be made against standardized tests - economic bias, social bias, racial bias to name just a few.

While we may want something different for our college admissions process, we don't have it.

What we have is the SAT and ACT.

Wishing for a different test or no test or some other 'fair' measure does no good for students who are applying and looking for their chance to compete today.

We have grades, self reported activities and test scores. One of these is the closest we have to a level playing field.

We can complain about it or we can get to work letting students compete and take their shot right now - students like me who may not have had a different avenue to a higher education.

 

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