The SAT — Is it Still a Good Approach to Learning?
The SAT has historically been a measure of academic strength and performance that has been used across the United States for almost a century, but is it really a good way to rank students’ performance? Many educators have critiqued the SAT and other standardized tests for perpetrating bias across socioeconomic and racial spectrums. This is one of the reasons that led many highly recognized colleges and universities such as the University of California to now become test-optional, thereby removing the requirement for student applicants to take these tests.
What went into the decision to no longer require standardized testing scores like the SAT and ACT? How much effort should high schools really put into these tests?
The Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT, was originally used by Ivy League Schools around the 1920’s and 30’s to evaluate more students from non-preparatory schools, creating a standardized system that allowed for fair assessment and more acceptances of public school students.
However, many have made critiques about unfair racial discrimination in the results of the test. Data from the College Board shows that 45% of white students and 55% of Asian-American students scored a 1200 or higher in 2019. Meanwhile, only 12% of Hispanic and 9% of Black test-takers managed to score that high. Many have also pointed out that the test is significantly easier for students who are able to afford private tutoring and other forms of preparation.
This was one of the causes for the withdrawal of testing requirements from many highly recognized institutions across the nation. Furthermore, this also brings up the question: how much should schools really focus on standardized tests, or even tests in general?
School is a center of learning, meant to prepare us for our lives in careers and adulthood. Is taking and preparing for tests such as the SAT and ACT the right way to do this? In our modern era, new values for education are starting to emerge, and this method prioritizes experience rather than quantitative scores for college admissions.
These methods would give high school students better chances to show college readiness through more than just their required classes and grades. The idea goes that commitment to extracurricular activities and hands-on experiences can be a better show of dedication than numerous required tests of continuous questions and answers.
One main criticism against the removal of standardized testing is that it would omit proper general evaluation of academic performance. The SAT has historically been used as a common unit for this evaluation, and some worry that there would be inaccurate showings of academic performance without it.
However, while tests are an easy and effective way to assess students’ knowledge in a subject, they do not collect any experience from the real world. Is continuous memorization of material really the right way to get students to prepare for life? I do not believe it is. These new basic ideas for re-envisioning education is what has caused many colleges and universities to step away from tests such as the SAT, and turn to more hands-on experiences from applicants that show real-world growth.
The true show of academic strength and success is a subject long debated throughout our country. The removal of the SAT from many institutes of education is a breath of fresh air that the United States has been sorely needing. It shows that we’re turning away from the historical practices of measurement for potential success, and willing to adopt new methods while searching for experience in students. Is this the right move? I think it is.
Of course there are many times in life that require memorization, but often just as many that require confidence in real world situations. Tests frequently defeat the purpose of this, binding students to nothing more than the questions in front of them, and causing them to forget the further purpose.
This is not to say that the complete removal of them is the correct way to go, but maybe we should reconsider the purpose of our teaching methods, and how they prepare students for life which, after all, is the core of what education is all about.
