THE COLLEGE BOARD FAILED AMERICA

Last fall I sat down to take the SAT. Surrounding me were students from my elite private school, students who had the money to afford the countless prep books, tutors, and programs to gain the best score. Exhausted and catatonic, we sat absorbed by the test after months of studying in preparation for the be-all-end-all college entrance exam, reducing us to numbers instead of our names. I wondered, how can a test predicated on income, neglecting any means of originality, drive our future? The College Board, arguably one of the most influential monopolies in America, is filtering out the potential of our generations, robbing millions of opportunities.

The College Board reports that over two million students took the SAT exam in 2020, playing a vital role in college admissions. Although the pandemic has prompted many universities to adopt test-optional approaches, there is little evidence to support the permanency of this change, and a negative implication remains if one does not submit their score.

In Tyranny of The Merit, philosopher Micheal J. Sandel speaks on the correlation between income and SAT scores. Students from high-income families ($200,000 and over) had a one in five chance of getting 1400 on the SAT, while those from low-income families ($20,000 and under) had a one in fifty chance. Undoubtedly, teens who come from wealthy families have increased access to preparatory resources, a significant advantage for achieving a strong score. As Alfie Kohn states, “The SAT is more a measure of resources than reasoning”, a monstrous gatekeeper of potential. The College Board, although a non-profit, relies on revenue to sustain itself. Consequently, the SAT was designed to be more than just a mere test, but a financial loop. Public education is a fundamental right, therefore any assessment of education should be equally accessible to all.

In the late 1990s, the College Board removed the “A” in SAT that symbolized “Aptitude”, substituting it with “Assessment.” Today literally, and perhaps figuratively, the SAT does not stand for anything. New York Times journalist Jennifer Finney opined, “The College Board can change the test all it likes, but no single exam, given on a single day, should determine anyone’s fate.” The SAT attempts to mold children into a 1600-point scale, failing to represent the creative and visionary thinking skills necessary for real-world success-skills that are not quantifiable.

If we want to drive progress and confront the significant social, political, and environmental challenges ahead of us, we need to move beyond a test that perpetuates the status quo. It is time the SAT is replaced with a holistic model that encapsulates our full hearts and minds.