While the intention may have been to promote an equal chance at excelling in the same test, it fails miserably at accounting for the fact that there are racial and socioeconomic factors at play- especially considering that not every student gets SAT/ACT preparation before having to take the test(s). Despite the goal of providing equal opportunity to all students by giving them the same test, this fails to consider EQUITY. With some exceptions, the tests remain essential for most students who want to attend major public universities” (Anderson, A Shake-Up). Most highly selective colleges and universities require students to take one of them. “The SAT and ACT were launched in the 20th century with the goal of rewarding academic merit, breaking social class barriers, and giving all students a chance to prove they belong in college. Those kids were getting 1300s and higher on their prep tests and complained about not getting perfect scores- I just thought “wow they’re so much smarter and equipped than I am”, which is not the truth, but they did have a very privileged advantage compared to a low-income Latina student like me. In retrospect, I can see how anxiety, my lack of preparation, and resources all contributed to my less than “standard” scores and I wish I had the same level of preparation for the tests as my white counterparts at the wealthy private Horace Mann School in Riverdale (which was my test site, not my school). My score discouraged me from applying to most SAT/ACT-required schools and led me to apply to schools that deemed the test submissions as optional. I scored somewhere between 1100-1200 which is higher than the national average, but way below the score standards of elite institutions like New York University and Colombia University. I for one can assert that the SAT/ACT tests did not and do not accurately represent me as a student or how versatile, smart, capable, talented, and worthy of higher educational opportunities I am- but my score would say otherwise. Instead of leveling the playing field for students across the board, the tests disproportionately limit the number of students applying to SAT/ACT score-focused schools and the amount gaining admission to these schools. Such a test removes value from the student’s talents and minimizes them to how they performed on the test(s) on that given day. The tests place a higher focus on an IQ score over the student’s overall experiences, capabilities, and qualifications. Standardized tests do not always reflect a student’s intellectual aptitude, and a subpar result can deter a promising applicant.
Therefore, creating a lot of space for qualified students with different racial, socioeconomic, and academic backgrounds to be turned over at the hand of unfair admissions standards like the SAT/ ACT.
And 2) I did research to prove that there is an evident racial and socioeconomic bias that favors White, Asian, and wealthier students. The SAT/ ACT are not fair admissions measures because many qualified students are not given the opportunity to gain fair admission to universities due to the nature of the tests. I will explain how 1) The SAT/ ACT tests do not accurately measure a student’s academic capabilities, experiences, or qualifications.
But what most of those students do not know is that those tests are not fair admissions measures and prove racial and socioeconomic biases that negatively affect the admission success of low-income Black and Brown students. In the present day, the tests’ max scores are 1600 (for SAT test) and 36 (for the ACT test), and surely these score targets become idols for many students in hopes of getting admission to schools that weigh the tests heavily when considering their prospective students. I am talking about SAT and ACT scores, two standardized tests that have been historically required for admission to most colleges/universities in the country. Would you let a number define you? Would you let a score become your identity? While you may answer no, thousands of students across the United States have implicitly answered yes to this question without actively knowing it.
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