SATs Do Not Take the Full Measure of a High School Student

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I completely agree. SATs cannot predict a student's success. There are students out there who could care less about their scores or school, who get amazing scores on the SAT and those who's noses are always in books who get really upsetting scores.

N.P of NJ 7:30PM April 15, 2012

I wonder how many of those who disagree have taken the new SAT! There is too much division caused by the political football called SAT now. It is designed to measure how a student might perform during their first year of college, and is largely a reasoning test. It is pretty difficult....especially for those not particularly trained in the advanced classes in HS. It is used by politicians to judge the effectiveness of public schools....which is completely wrong! The information on the test is not an accurate assessment of high school subject matter for the average student. I am not against the SAT, but do feel it should not be used AT ALL to judge secondary schools as failing or not failing. It should not be used to judge STATES as having x-number of failing schools. If the SAT is used as designed, as an indicator of possible / probable success in college, that is fine. If colleges use it to determine who can attend that college and who needs to attend a different college, I am also fine with that. I do believe said colleges should (and do) take into consideration other factors. Most colleges use the Freshman Index to determine eligibility. The FI = SAT Critical Rdg. + SAT Math + (HS Academic GPA + 500). The more difficult colleges also consider activities, projects, etc, require a writing sample, and an interview. Not all schools need or require the SAT at this time. In Georgia, the technical colleges and smaller rural colleges stopped the SAT requirement about 2 years ago. I jokingly say that there are 2 requirements for some colleges, and that is a GOOD thing. Those requirements are: 1. Are you breathing? 2. Do you have some money or access to some money to pay for your education? Students will either bloom or decide post-secondary education is not for them. We do want as many to attend colleges as possible, but as we face reality we know that not everyone is college-material. Only 20% of the jobs require a 4-year degree or higher. 80% of the jobs require technical training. Most people can at least manage technical hands-on training of some kind. The SAT is not needed for all colleges, but I would keep it for the more difficult colleges and universities.

CGaskins of GA 12:02AM September 29, 2009

I totally agree with Wake Forest's decision to eliminate the SAT or any other standardized exam as a pre-requisit for admissions. I teach various MA courses in the Applied Linguistics major at the Universidad de las Américas Puebla where one of you graduates studies with me. I always am saying that I am against all standardized tests and especially those that 'attempt' to measure intelligence or in other words 'label' students in some way or another that can effect the rest of their lives.
Congratulations and your graduate is doing very well in our MA program.
I was forced to put my home state of WV but I actually live in Puebla, Mexico.

Dr. Connie R. Johnson of WV 10:52AM September 17, 2009

I disagree with her I believe that SAT's are very important. i also belive that she is intitled to her oppion but i believe that SAT's are helpful with the transition for students.

Carley Casali of CA 3:05PM September 16, 2009

I believe that this woman's article is mainly oppinionated and she did not support her thesis with proper evidence. Unlike Mr. Caperton, she did not prove her argument, therefore, I disagree with her statement. If students were to not take an SAT, then college's decisions would be based on our grades. I believe it is better to base a students ability off of more examples and activities than to base it off a smaller amount of facts.

Ali Mowrey of CA 3:03PM September 16, 2009

It's hard for me to read all of this glowing praise for Wake Forest when I had the exact opposite experience. I graduated from an impoverished high school in North Carolina with decent grades (top 10%) and a high SAT score (top 1%). Wake brought me up for a long recruiting weekend and I immediately fell in love. I applied to the school through the binding early admissions process and was thrilled to get accepted. I think that may have been the last time I was happy with the school.
From day one I did badly at Wake. The school prides itself on rigorous academics and strict grading. Unfortunately, I always felt like the emphasis was more on making classes difficult (and justifying low grades) than it was on teaching. I felt like half my professors actively disliked the students they were tasked with teaching. I earned a slew of Bs and Cs and eventually started to feel like school just wasn’t my thing.
Nothing else at Wake ever clicked for me either. Coming from a household where my parents’ combined income never cleared $40k, I couldn’t relate to students driving BMWs and new SUVs. And since I never joined a fraternity, most social life at Wake (including intramural team sports) was closed off too. I made some good friends at Wake, but what initially brought us together was how much we hated the place.
When I graduated from Wake, my life was in shambles. My GPA was under a 3.0 and I couldn’t find a job for the life of me. I thought I had picked a practical major in computer science, but I only landed one interview and it didn’t pan out. My low GPA wasn’t unusual at Wake, but up against hosts of candidates from better schools with grade inflation (or even just local schools outside of the south), I never stood a chance. Eventually I moved back in with my parents and took a job as a short order cook.
Fortunately, I was still a good test taker and managed to do well enough on the LSAT to get into a top law school (despite my miserable GPA). Compared to Wake Forest, law school was like night and day. Every aspect of my experience was better. The administration and faculty were supportive and committed to helping students succeed. The student body was more driven and engaged. I made tons of friends. And even though every class in law school was more work than my worst class at Wake, my grades were awesome. I can’t emphasize enough how much better the entire experience was in every way, educationally and otherwise.
Today, I’m married to a wonderful woman, live in Manhattan and work at one of the best law firms in the world. I have amazing friends, make great money and have a better life than I ever dreamed possible. With all that said, my standardized test scores were the only reason I got a second shot.
It’s been 8 years since I graduated, but I still look back at my time at Wake as the worst 4 years of my life. If I could only change one decision in my life, it would be my decision to attend Wake Forest

Less Enamored Alumnus of NY 8:22PM September 15, 2009

My son graduated last spring Magna Cum Laude from Wake Forest University in biology with two minors and is now attending medical school. I am certain he was accepted by Wake Forest for a myriad of reasons which included his high SAT, SAT II, and ACT scores. He was ranked number two in his high school class, was a Governor's Scholar in his state, an AP scholar, National Merit Scholar, varsity athlete, and participated in many civic and charity programs which he continued in service with while at Wake. In fact, my son was admitted to every school in which he applied. He chose Wake Forest for the professors, class sizes, and the campus atmosphere along with opportunities for research for students. He was extremely happy with his experience at Wake Forest.
I believe my son's life experience as a whole was evaluated and that included his success with standardized tests when he applied at his chosen colleges and universities. One cannot be genuine and not admit that schools within states and around the country have different standards, especially with grading scales, not to mention grade inflation. With different levels of classes offered, and certainly different expectations for success of their students, only standardized test scores can really compare applicants academically in a fair manner. At the same time, the SAT or ACT score should only be one part of what admissions directors and committees consider when they look at an applicant for their school. What colleges and universities should not do is hold minimum score requirements for their applicants. By doing so, they can still compare students using the test scores but also continue to look at the student as a whole rather than as just a number.
That test score IS important but not more so than what the students have accomplished during their high school years, their extra-curricular activities, and their character. Continue to look at the student as a whole, with everything considered including test scores.

H.A. Stowe of KY 2:53PM September 15, 2009

Thank you very much for that awesome post.

mcdonalds free coupons of AL 8:18PM September 13, 2009

I went to Wake Forest before scores did not matter. In high school I graduated second in my class, but my SAT scores were not very good. I got in Wake Forest off the wait list. After four years of the same hard work and dedication I gave in high school I graduated from Wake Forest Cum Laude and am now an attorney in North Carolina.

RM of NC 9:16AM September 12, 2009

I failed out of junior high and was in LD classes in high school until I was sent out to a vocational school. I never took the SAT, GRE, or any other aptitude test. I just recently graduated with my masters degree this spring, earning a 3.94 GPA. I never had a semester where I was not a Dean's list student the entire years. Prediction from statistics is just an assumption and not a fact. Just further proof we live in a performance driven society where capability is squashed because it is not "productive" enough.

DS of OH 9:18PM September 11, 2009