Spring Break
Colleges Debate SAT Changes
Kate King
Issue date: 8/7/06 Section: News
The majority of colleges and universities in the United States consider the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) an essential indicator of academic skill. Since grades may be inflated or deflated according to school systems, most admissions officers depend on the SAT for a stable, standardized view of applicants' performance. A drop in SAT scores among the first batch of students to take the new test, however, has some people wondering if the SAT is still the best way to compare high school students.
According to Collegeboard.com, over two million students take the SAT each year. Historically the SAT has consisted of two parts-a verbal and math section each worth 800 points. Changes implemented in 2006 added a writing section to the test and altered the math and verbal sections. The total score of the test was increased from 1600 to 2400 points.
"We wanted it to be more closely reflective of the high school curriculum and we also wanted to add writing which is a critical skill for not only success in college but also in the work force and beyond," said Karen Scoropanos, spokesperson for CollegeBoard.
According to Scoropanos, the new SAT's verbal section, now called "critical reading," has longer reading passages and does not contain any analogy questions. The math section was also altered and now includes higher-level questions, Scoropanos said.
It is unclear as to whether these changes caused the recent drop in SAT scores, but a coinciding drop the overall score average has caused both students and colleges to debate whether the new changes are for the better.
According to a story in the Washington Post, "on the nine campuses of the University of California, the largest user of the SAT, average scores declined by 15 points." Other schools have also reported lower scores, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University and George Washington University, with scores falling by 12, 7, and 10 points respectively, according to the Washington Post.
According to Collegeboard.com, over two million students take the SAT each year. Historically the SAT has consisted of two parts-a verbal and math section each worth 800 points. Changes implemented in 2006 added a writing section to the test and altered the math and verbal sections. The total score of the test was increased from 1600 to 2400 points.
"We wanted it to be more closely reflective of the high school curriculum and we also wanted to add writing which is a critical skill for not only success in college but also in the work force and beyond," said Karen Scoropanos, spokesperson for CollegeBoard.
According to Scoropanos, the new SAT's verbal section, now called "critical reading," has longer reading passages and does not contain any analogy questions. The math section was also altered and now includes higher-level questions, Scoropanos said.
It is unclear as to whether these changes caused the recent drop in SAT scores, but a coinciding drop the overall score average has caused both students and colleges to debate whether the new changes are for the better.
According to a story in the Washington Post, "on the nine campuses of the University of California, the largest user of the SAT, average scores declined by 15 points." Other schools have also reported lower scores, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University and George Washington University, with scores falling by 12, 7, and 10 points respectively, according to the Washington Post.
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mike
posted 8/14/06 @ 1:45 PM EST
Eh, who needs the sat's anywho. I think i failed mine, oh well. I think they should have contests to get into school. Maybe incorporate some finer unrecognized skills like playing video games. (Continued…)
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