By Long Island Life & Politics
Did you see the news that many Long Island universities are looking to eliminate the use of SAT and ACT scores for admission?
We think there is merit in discussing whether there is an overreliance on a single test, but the idea of eliminating them is dangerous stuff.
Relying just on grade point averages can be very deceiving. Different schools have different standards and grading criteria. In the old days, getting a 90 in a course was a big deal. These days, weighted grading gives many students’ averages well over 100.
The standardized tests allow for those in poorer or tougher grade schools to exhibit a level of aptitude that can stand out and get them admitted into a college from which they would otherwise be shut out.
Moreover, standardized tests are the one clear way to track the progress, or lack thereof, of America’s overall student population. Perhaps that’s why so many elites within the education establishment support dropping the tests. Without tracking, we will no longer be able to show how much our system is failing.