SAT Does not Spell Success

September 30, 4:16 PMDenver Higher Education ExaminerBarb Gerhardt

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Every year, high school students line up to take the SAT or ACT. Some spend money on test coaches or tutors. Others take test preparation courses.

All of them know a poor SAT or ACT score can prevent them from getting into college.

With an inundation of applications, colleges are looking for ways to decide which students will successfully complete degrees. The limited number of spaces means college admissions boards need to use criteria and a “snapshot” of the successful student. The standardized test score is often used in conjunction with the grade point average to quantify how well a student is prepared for college. Some students do very well in their courses but do poorly on the SAT or ACT (usually due to test anxiety).  Other students, particularly those who excel at memorization, do well on the SAT or ACT but poorly in their courses.

According to the College Board website, the SAT "tests students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for college success: reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT assesses the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college" (http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATI.html).

Does that translate to college success? 

I’ve seen students with excellent high school grades and/or strong standardized scores struggle in college. I’ve also seen students excel in college who were less successful on the test and/or with high school grades. The difference? Motivation, determination, and willingness to locate and use college resources. Students who found high school easy often feel pressure in college courses that require more reading, more writing, more depth of analysis, and more self-motivation to complete homework than they knew before. In contrast, students who struggled in high school learned early that it’s important to talk to teachers about difficult material, form study groups, visit the writing center, and attend every class.

The standardized test is an easy way for universities to work through admission applications. Universities that accept students with high GPAs and standardized test scores have better admissions data and earn higher rankings nationally.

The trade-off is the loss of many students who are capable, motivated, and truly understand what it means to succeed not only despite struggle, but because of it.