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More Colleges Say the SAT Doesn't Pass the Test
Wake Forest University is the latest school to drop standardized test requirements, reigniting debate over the best way to predict academic success.
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Wake Forest University joined Smith College this month in eliminating the SAT and ACT exams as a requirement for college admission. Officials at Wake Forest say that the scores aren’t the best indication of academic success in college.
The objectivity of the SAT has long been questioned, and changes made to the test’s format in 2005 sparked new concerns. The addition of an essay was seen as another stumbling block for students with limited English language ability. One year later, the SAT faced new scrutiny when 4,000 tests were incorrectly scored, raising questions again about the integrity of the tests.
Meanwhile, studies differ on whether the SATs are a reliable predictor of college success. A study conducted by Bates College, one of the first competitive colleges to do away with the SAT, found no correlation between grade point average at graduation and incoming SAT scores. The College Board, however, contends that early studies of the new SAT show that it is just as good as, if not better than, high school GPA at predicting academic success in college.
Michael Poll, vice president for admissions at Chatham University, remains unconvinced. “We have studied our students who have come in SAT-optional,” he said. “At this point, their persistence is nearly identical to those who came in with the SAT.”
The objectivity of the SAT has long been questioned, and changes made to the test’s format in 2005 sparked new concerns. The addition of an essay was seen as another stumbling block for students with limited English language ability. One year later, the SAT faced new scrutiny when 4,000 tests were incorrectly scored, raising questions again about the integrity of the tests.
Meanwhile, studies differ on whether the SATs are a reliable predictor of college success. A study conducted by Bates College, one of the first competitive colleges to do away with the SAT, found no correlation between grade point average at graduation and incoming SAT scores. The College Board, however, contends that early studies of the new SAT show that it is just as good as, if not better than, high school GPA at predicting academic success in college.
Michael Poll, vice president for admissions at Chatham University, remains unconvinced. “We have studied our students who have come in SAT-optional,” he said. “At this point, their persistence is nearly identical to those who came in with the SAT.”
Headline Link: ‘Wake Forest Joins Schools Dropping SAT Requirement’
Wake Forest University will no longer require SAT and ACT scores for admission, reports the Associated Press. Instead of standardized tests, schools are starting to place more emphasis on academic records, extracurricular activities and personal interviews. Martha Allman, Director of Admissions at Wake Forest, said “We in admissions have put up a barrier to these students to say all of your hard work and all of your academic achievement is being negated by one test, and we don’t feel like that is fair.”
Source: ABC News [Associated Press]
Background: The SAT’s rocky road
In March 2005, the College Board changed the format of the SAT by adding an essay and lengthening the math section. At the time, Dr. Audrey Yamagat-Noji, vice president of Student Services at Mt. San Antonio College in Southern California, said that the SAT’s essay section “has the potential to be devastating” to students with limited English language ability.
Source: AsianWeek
In March 2006, a year after the new SAT format was unveiled, 4,000 tests were scored incorrectly. The discovery came during the peak of the admissions season, forcing college officials to take the revised scores into account.
Source: St. Petersburg Times
Opinion & Analysis: Does the SAT predict college performance?
At the 2006 meeting of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, there was largely consensus for ending the SAT requirement. Bates College conducted a study of graduating students with the highest averages that found no correlation between those averages and the students’ SAT scores. But Vince Cuseo, dean of admission at Occidental College, said he sees the SAT as a valuable tool for dealing “with rampant grade inflation and ‘the wide variety’ of standards in high schools.”
Source: Inside Higher Ed
Recent studies conducted by the College Board suggest that the SAT is just as good as, or possibly better than, high school grades at predicting college freshman performance. Dr. Wayne Camara, vice president of research for the College Board, said, “the SAT as a whole is a better predictor than high school GPA.” Michael Poll, vice president for admissions at Chatham University, disagrees: “We don’t believe the SAT is a strong predictor for our students regardless.”
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Reference: A guide to applying to college
With college admissions more demanding and competitive than ever, the right preparation is essential. The findingDulcinea Applying to College Web Guide provides links to everything the prospective college applicant needs to know.
Source: findingDulcinea
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