“Test scores are a common yardstick, and that’s a falsehood unless the yardstick is made of elastic or silly putty,” says Robert Schaeffer, public education director for the Boston-based center. “Kids whose parents have money can buy them higher scores on the SAT or ACT through coaching courses and private tutors.” to help them beat the test.”
SAT officials say they are sensitive to fairness, but add that the real inequality is America’s unequal education system.
“The SAT is, together with high school grades, the number one predictor in first year [performance] of college. It’s more predictive than high school grades alone,” says Caren Scoropanos, a spokeswoman for the College Board, which puts out the SAT.
But Dr. Mary Beth Gasman, an assistant professor at Pennsylvania University’s Graduate School of Education, says the tests are overused. She says prestigious institutions are happy to tout high college exam scores to boost their own images.
“Tests only have limited ability to predict success. They tend to be relied upon heavily by people in admissions,” Gasman says. “You can’t expect people to perform equally on the test when you have not prepared them equally.”
David Hawkins, a policy director for NACAC, says its research is a conversation piece.
“We really believe it’s important for postsecondary institutions to think independently about the use of standardized tests. A. why are they using it. and B. knowing what it’s telling,” Hawkins says.
--Natalie Y. Moore
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