As schools like the University of California consider dropping the SAT as a requirement for admission due to concern that the test is biased, they run up against another question with a potentially bigger impact for students and their families: Should they continue to use SAT scores to award scholarships?What standards would schools use, subjective high school grades and skin color?
Colleges and universities give out about $30 billion a year in merit aid, which is often based on a student’s SAT or ACT. An additional $2 billion in merit aid distributed by states hinges on standardized test scores.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts stopped using the test for merit scholarships last year, said Andrew Palumbo, dean of admission. Instead, the school is weighing grades, community service and leadership. The school has made the SAT optional for applicants since 2007.
Sunday, February 02, 2020
The Role of the SAT
If colleges and universities aren't going to use the SAT for admissions or for merit-based scholarships, is there any use left for the test?
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The ACT remains the quickest, easiest predictor of first-year success, but it's real value also remains as a multiple-measure - an independent check. The attacks on it and the SAT are wrong-headed.
Schools are ignoring SAT/ACT scores anyway. Consider California demographics: 37% non-Hispanic white, 23% Hispanic, and 15% Asian. UC frosh admissions: 22%, 34%, 37% respectfully.
It may be that SAT/ACT scores matter ONLY after politically acceptable grounds are met. In short, they don't matter.
They're going to have issues with the "community service" part. If you come from a well-off family, you have time to do volunteer work. If you don't, well, you might actually be spending your time working. They've run into that problem with international "service" trips and with unpaid internships. The only people who can afford to fly to Africa for a month of mock-work are those are middle and upper income families. Poor people can't afford unpaid internships. Even "leadership" can end up expensive.
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