Trembling hands, flying graphite, nervous sweat. Anyone who's taken a standardized test recognizes those symptoms instantly. Millions of students take the SAT and ACT tests each year in hopes of earning admission to their dream college, but a growing movement insists these standardized tests are an unfair and inaccurate measure of academic worth. Should colleges continue to consider these tests when determining their future alumni?
Author/College Admissions Expert
College entrance tests (SAT and ACT) are the subject of some of the most heated and controversial debate in all of higher education. Trustees and administrators are not of one mind on the tests’ value or even whether they ought to be used. Critics of the tests argue that not all students are able to show their ability in a high stress “timed” environment and that the tests have built-in biases that disadvantage minority students. Colleges are reevaluating the use of these tests as accurate measures and considering if they want to continue to require students to take them for admission purposes.
While the debate about the tests is instructive, there are at least four important reasons to maintain the common use of SAT and ACT for prospective students. These rationales include: the availability of standardized data; an emphasis on skill preparation; attention to academic quality and better informed decision-making by all involved in the admissions process.
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