Bye Bye Standardized Tests?
It's a good day for tried-and-true test-taking failures like yours truly.
According to the New York Times, reputable small colleges have caught on to what I've been saying for years: standardized tests are a total sham. Okay, well, they're not saying they're a "sham," exactly, but admissions officers *are* coming to their senses about the fact that the testing ground is uneven, and that the SAT is a poor indicator of actual intellectual potential, achievement and curiosity. Many of these colleges are now making college applications test-optional:
“'We felt the system had gotten out of whack,' said Steve Syverson, dean of admissions at Lawrence University, which admitted its first test-optional freshmen this year. 'Back when kids just got a good night’s sleep and took the SAT, it was a leveler that helped you find the diamond in the rough. Now that most of the great scores are affluent kids with lots of preparation, it just increases the gap between the haves and the have-nots.'"
He's got a point, you know. And I love that he uses "whack" to dismiss the SATs. What would the college board say about that?
Full disclosure: I really hate standardized tests because I don't perform well on them. Never have. Don't know why. Just can't seem to fill in the right bubbles (although I hear they've put everything on computers now), and I don't care about circumferences and radii. And the thing is, I constantly have to remind myself that how I perform on a test is not a measurement of my self-worth, but sometimes it's impossible when I'm surrounded by Super Test Whizzes (i.e. practically all of my friends). I went to Brearley. I went to Williams. I have a job where people believe me to be literate and competent. I'm like the little number two pencil that could.
Anyway, back to the point. I think this is a great step. While I'm sure it will create a great deal more work for the admissions offices -- really scrutinizing essays and activities and high school grades more than ever -- I think it's going to diversify the college student body (as the NYT suggests) and stop making people like me feel so inept. Hopefully grad schools will start coming to their senses soon, too. At least before I apply. And if not,
I think I can, I think I can.
According to the New York Times, reputable small colleges have caught on to what I've been saying for years: standardized tests are a total sham. Okay, well, they're not saying they're a "sham," exactly, but admissions officers *are* coming to their senses about the fact that the testing ground is uneven, and that the SAT is a poor indicator of actual intellectual potential, achievement and curiosity. Many of these colleges are now making college applications test-optional:“'We felt the system had gotten out of whack,' said Steve Syverson, dean of admissions at Lawrence University, which admitted its first test-optional freshmen this year. 'Back when kids just got a good night’s sleep and took the SAT, it was a leveler that helped you find the diamond in the rough. Now that most of the great scores are affluent kids with lots of preparation, it just increases the gap between the haves and the have-nots.'"
He's got a point, you know. And I love that he uses "whack" to dismiss the SATs. What would the college board say about that?
Full disclosure: I really hate standardized tests because I don't perform well on them. Never have. Don't know why. Just can't seem to fill in the right bubbles (although I hear they've put everything on computers now), and I don't care about circumferences and radii. And the thing is, I constantly have to remind myself that how I perform on a test is not a measurement of my self-worth, but sometimes it's impossible when I'm surrounded by Super Test Whizzes (i.e. practically all of my friends). I went to Brearley. I went to Williams. I have a job where people believe me to be literate and competent. I'm like the little number two pencil that could.Anyway, back to the point. I think this is a great step. While I'm sure it will create a great deal more work for the admissions offices -- really scrutinizing essays and activities and high school grades more than ever -- I think it's going to diversify the college student body (as the NYT suggests) and stop making people like me feel so inept. Hopefully grad schools will start coming to their senses soon, too. At least before I apply. And if not,
I think I can, I think I can.
posted by brad board babe at 5:17 PM
1 Comments:
Oh don't get me STARTED on this American test fetisch. It's not normal! It's sick!
You remember me telling you about this whole GRE thing... I have to fly to freakin Frankfurt just to take this test. GRE... I don't even know what that is! The only acronym I can keep track of is the TOEFL (a handy little $140 test that is valid for two years...). I've always boycotted the Swedish equivalent to the GRE. The only section where girls score higher than guys is the one section that is constructed by a woman. Tests SUCK!
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