Standardized testing has been a common method used for college admissions to determine high school students’ intelligence and preparedness for college relative to their peers. However, what is often overlooked when considering SAT and ACT scores for college admission are the factors outside a student’s control that have an affect on their score and therefore disadvantage them when applying for universities. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal on Oct. 7 2014, a major factor that affects standardized test scores is socioeconomic status; underprivileged students achieve significantly lower scores on average compared to their more privileged peers. As such, we at the Wheel believe standardized testing is a corrupt measure of student preparedness for college and emphasis on the test score reduces campus diversity.
Some universities have begun to altogether abolish the SAT and ACT as admissions factors rather than making it “test-optional” like many other schools. According to a recent article in The Washington Post on Sept. 25 2015, Hampshire College, a liberal arts college in Massachusetts that refused to take standardized tests, found that their class diversity increased to 31 percent of students of color, up from 21 percent two years ago and the percentage of students who are the first in their family to go to college rose from 10 percent to 18 percent.
We at the Wheel believe standardized tests are not a holistic assessment a student’s preparation for college, which can be judged by other measures such as GPA, application essays and recommendation letters. That being said, we are not comfortable supporting the termination of such a test without replacing it with a more holistic measurement of a students intelligence and preparedness. Standardized testing tends to advantage good test takers, sidelining active and passionate students that have difficulty translating their skills into test scores. An alternative to standardized testing is what some schools have began to try out; portfolios beginning in the 9th grade that comprehensively highlight their high school activities and endeavors.
The SAT and ACT are flawed aptitude tests that have become the standard for comparing high school students across the world. Although measures have been taken to improve the fairness of these tests, there are too many factors that diminish their universality. Some possible solutions are offering an alternative to standardized tests or diminish the importance of standardized test scores in college admission.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel‘s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.
I agree in that the exam does measure up to a certain standard for example if a school is really substandard and you have an A student coming out of that school but that kid’s A might be a really good school’s C+. YOu won’t know that until you have a standard to measure against esp when it’s time to determine college readiness however you define that.
My only concern is always making sure that my kid is adequately prepared throughout so on the advice of a couple of his teachers I went to the munchmath website and got them to send me a couple of tutors. As parents it’s basically up to us to do whatever is necessary to make sure that our kids retain a strong learning position. The most we can do is our best.
This is the reason we have affirmative action policies…