A testing critic makes a common mistake when criticizing the SAT:
Bates [College] has kept a running record of student performance. What they've learned from their "don't ask, don't tell" policy is that there hasn't been a dime's worth of difference between the grade point averages or the graduation rates of those who did and those who didn't disclose their SAT scores...Bates doesn't just suffer no ill effects from ignoring standardized test scores. The college enjoys a more diverse and therefore more interesting student body.
Isn't the assumption here that students who don't disclose their scores differ from those who do? Why make that assumption? Sure, it seems reasonable that those who include their scores are proud of them, but those who choose not to are not necessarily the lowest performers.
If standardized test scores have little or no predictive power for college performance, you can bet they have even less predictive power for performance in life. Why, then, are we so willing to use them to beat up on kids, teachers and schools, and let life-changing decisions hinge on them?
Because the data on the SAT from Bates College does not generalize to the population at large. Bates is a tiny, private liberal arts college that has fewer than 2000 students. It's not surprising that Bates manages to select students each year who are well-suited to this specific college environment, regardless of SAT score. With one faculty member for every 10 students, I'd be surprised if every student who was admitted didn't do well.
The usefulness of the SAT can vary widely across colleges; those who choose not to use the test in admissions are those that have found it doesn't work for them. This doesn't mean it doesn't work for everyone, and testing critics like this often ignore research showing that the SAT does work for some schools. It's absurd to conclude that the SAT is useless for a state university with 50,000 students just because it isn't helpful for Bates.
As for the part about tests being used to "beat up" on kids...sheesh. Talk about defining abuse down.
Posted by kswygert at August 5, 2005 09:56 AM