Get rid of the SAT
Aug. 21st, 2008 06:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
petmoosieCharles Murray suggests getting rid of the SAT.
His argument has a few threads.
1) Achievement tests do the same job of predicting first-year college performance.
2) Test preparation doesn't work, but gives the richer students more confidence.
3) Achievement tests won't be used as a badge for the higher-scoring folks to insult the lower-scoring folks.
On point 3, I would comment that "I went to Harvard/MIT" is just as powerful a challenge as "I got a 1600/2400". Although, you will probably be spending more money to claim the former.
On point 2, sort of. A good test preparation company is going to spend a fair amount of time on content rather than techniques. It's like sharing my background with the students. Unfortunately for political correctness, my religious background does come into play.
Point 2, again. I only did one free test preparation course. My company does them and some of the teachers volunteer for them more than others. Better teachers. But they are up against a big, big wall.
His argument has a few threads.
1) Achievement tests do the same job of predicting first-year college performance.
2) Test preparation doesn't work, but gives the richer students more confidence.
3) Achievement tests won't be used as a badge for the higher-scoring folks to insult the lower-scoring folks.
On point 3, I would comment that "I went to Harvard/MIT" is just as powerful a challenge as "I got a 1600/2400". Although, you will probably be spending more money to claim the former.
On point 2, sort of. A good test preparation company is going to spend a fair amount of time on content rather than techniques. It's like sharing my background with the students. Unfortunately for political correctness, my religious background does come into play.
Point 2, again. I only did one free test preparation course. My company does them and some of the teachers volunteer for them more than others. Better teachers. But they are up against a big, big wall.
