It’s that time of year again. Students are walking through the hallways, carrying gargantuan prep books while using words like “loquacious” and “lugubrious” in everyday conversations.
Standardized testing, whether it is SATs, ACTs, SAT Subject Tests, or AP Tests, is an aspect of high school life that impacts a majority of Ridge students at some time during their four years here. However, many people question the validity of standardized test scores—can a four hour block of time accurately measure a student’s record of academic achievement and gauge their potential for future success? While standardized tests are important, they are not the most influential factor in the college decision process and cannot always accurately predict a student’s abilities and future achievement.
According to a 2012 study conducted by the College Board, there is a medium correlation between SAT scores and freshman year college GPA, meaning that there is sometimes, but not always, a relationship between high test scores and a high freshman year GPA. Different students have different test taking abilities and respond differently to college life, and these factors impact the correlation. For instance, a very bright student may be a poor test taker, but will be able to succeed in college. A similar 2012 study conducted by the ACT provides comparable results, so the tests are equally matched at indicating college preparedness; therefore, take whichever test best suits your strengths. The complete results of the College Board survey can be found at: http://research .collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/publications/2012/7/ researchreport-2008-5-validity-sat-predicting-first-year-college-grade-point-average.pdf while the data from the ACT study is located at: http://media.act.org/documents/ACT_RR2012-5.pdf.
Ridge students generally agree with the results of the aforementioned surveys, believing that standardized tests sometimes, but not always, can predict college success. Kiera Malone ’16 states, “I guess it depends. Some people aren’t very good test takers and it all depends on one test.” Mr. Gilmore, a physics teacher, adds, “The SAT claimed at one point in time to measure aptitude to success in college. They have given up that claim in the last thirty years. However, differences in grades among students enrolled in a college math course can be explained, to a degree, by large differences in SAT scores.”
Furthermore, people acknowledge that standardized tests do have limitations in measuring a student’s abilities. Cameron Montag ‘15 asserts, “The SAT, while it does cover a wide variety of topics, can’t possibly serve to cover every possible major a person can decide on.”
Many colleges have begun to de-emphasize the importance of standardized test scores during the admission process, stating that other application components, such as personal essays and letters of recommendation, can provide a more complete picture of the applicant. The high school transcript, they assert, is a more comprehensive measure of a student’s academic achievement and usually the most important factor in the decision making process. Nevertheless, do not take standardized tests lightly—they do still influence the admission decision and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Strong SAT and/or ACT scores definitely enhance an application, and SAT subject tests can serve to emphasize excellence in a particular field. However, don’t feel as if a few hours on a Saturday morning are the sole factor in determining your future. Students do not need a 2400 to succeed in college; as long as students are passionate and organized, they will be able to do well in college and afterwards.