The SAT has been a source of anxiety for many high school students since its creation by the College Board in 1926. Since then the SAT has gained great popularity within the collegiate acceptance process, with its only competition being the ACT, which was formed in 1959. Today, 95 percent of colleges and universities in the US make it mandatory for students to send in SAT and/or ACT scores with their applications.

While applying to school myself this year, and having taken the test three times, the accuracy and credibility of this test as a factor of admissions is an interesting topic for me. During a few campus visits and throughout my online searching, I noticed that many schools do not require any standardized testing as part of their applications.

One of the admissions counselors explained that the school did not think the SAT gave an accurate representation of the applicant. “Some kids are just bad test takers, that doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent,”  she said. I thought that was an interesting point, which was sort of contrary to what I had been led to expect. I thought all schools saw SAT scores as a large factor in deciding whom to admit. Of course, that is what the College Board wants everyone to think, because they are the ones who control the SAT.

This is where the SAT becomes a little sketchy. Since the College Board controls the SAT they are going to do anything in their power to make the most money from the test. Therefore the SAT is designed for wealthier people with the money to pay for expensive tutors (supplied by the College Board in many cases) and other studying techniques. Many agree, a great deal of the SAT is just strategy based, so academic knowledge does not necessarily play the most important role. The College Board also takes advantage of testers by slipping in an extra section to the test that is used purely for data gathering for future test modifications. The College Board has become even more competitive with the distribution of the SAT since the ACT came out. In fact, the College Board will come out with a new form of the test this spring in order to compete better with the ACT by adding more analysis based questions and questions in the science and history areas (areas that previously were only on the ACT).

I think it will be interesting to see how the results differ for this new test, and if it is really more beneficial and showing of students abilities. Thankfully though I will not have to take it and I will not be a part of the next few generations whose scores will be practically meaningless until the boundaries of the new test have been defined. Of course, this is merely my opinion. If you disagree with anything feel free to post a comment or response!

More information about the “new and improved” SAT can be found at: https://www.collegeboard.org/delivering-opportunity/sat/redesign