The SAT, or the Scholastic Assessment Test, is used by colleges and universities all over the nation to measure the magnitude of success specific to each individual as they enter an undergraduate program. However, how worthwhile is the SAT? While some students excel in math, science, and English, the only main test subjects that the board offers for this test, there is a number of students who are unable to perform sufficiently in these subjects. Similarly, the way the SAT is scored does not set students up for success.
The test subjects on the SAT are too specific and only measure skills in a small area of education. Many students are able to excel in areas of school that do not have to do with the three main subjects that the SAT offers. While the test uses questions from a few subcategories of science, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, other subjects like anatomy, oceanography, and even areas of computer science are not used for this test. Are the only students who can succeed in college the ones who excel in chemistry, biology, and physics? The SAT also tests a student’s ability to write on command in a short amount of time, given a prompt. But really, where does this become useful in college? A student’s success should not be measured by how well they can whip out an essay in 40 minutes.
The highest possible score on the SAT is a 2400 but the national average is only a 1500. It’s not uncommon for a student to score lower than a 1500, and that does not mean that they are unfit for a college education. The scores are unreliable and do not have any correlation with the success of the student. Schools that rely heavily on the scores of the SAT for admittance into their university, are only guaranteeing themselves sufficient test takers rather than hands-on scientists and strong public speakers.
In 2014, there was a study conducted by Bates College that determined that a student’s high school GPA was the best indicator of college success. The three-year study looked at 123,000 individuals from 33 colleges and universities around the nation who had an “optional SAT” requirement in the application process. The study ultimately proved that there was no significant difference in the students who tested low on the SAT and graduation rates compared to students who tested high on the same test. Many other studies have been carried out with the same results, but there continues to be in a large number of schools who still require the test.
The SAT is used by many colleges and universities as a measurement of student success after high school, but it is far from accurate. The subjects on the test and the scoring of the test set students up for failure. A student does not have to excel in science, math, or English to succeed in college, and a score of 1500 does not mean that a student is insufficient. As studies are being conducted about the SAT versus a high GPA, more and more schools are making the SAT optional. The SAT should not turn students away from the idea of college, but rather excite them about the possibilities of education after high school, and that is why the SAT should not be used as a measurement of success.
Burns, Hilary. "New Study Says High School GPA Matters More than SAT Scores." USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
