<p>What do the SATs/ACTs actually measure, they all seem so pointless.</p>
<p>Case in point: friend with 800 on Math section of the SAT who was failing math class</p>
<p>EXACTLY. I have a friend like that too. She wasn't failing, but she definnitely had trouble, and I tutored her to help...but it was just frustrating because she scored an 800 on the sat i and i scored a 690, and I'm good at higher level math, like calculus... cursed number theory...</p>
<p>FRANKENSTEIN LIVES</p>
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What do the SATs/ACTs actually measure, they all seem so pointless.</p>
<p>Case in point: friend with 800 on Math section of the SAT who was failing math class
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<p>Scholastic Aptitude Test. I can list TONS of people with 4.0's who aren't exactly the smartest in the bunch and it's not hard to find a group of 2.0's who could run circles around them. Your friend is probably not motivated to do well - do not confuse that with her or him not having the ability to do so. Einstein failed high school also....and I really don't need to list the # of not so smart people who graduated with 4.0's. Besides, SAT I Math isn't exactly high level math - those who know the concepts and can solve the problem outright and learn to use the multiple choice format to their advantage (as long as they are quick enough) will do well.</p>
<p>Yea. 4.0 doesn't mean anything without the hardest classes. </p>
<p>1600 does mean something. 1) genius 2) extremely hardworking.</p>
<p>I don't know about that. I have a 1600 + 800IIC and I am somewhat struggling in Calc BC this yr (although I did get an A first semester it wasn't easy). The rationale I prefer is that I am highly gifted in certain kinds of math but not others (I am very very strong with numbers, data, stats, etc), but it does seem funny. I do work hard too - it's not out of laziness.</p>
<p>Sometimes I think it's all just chance. I got an A+ in Calc AB but got a 620 on my first time SAT! :-p</p>
<p>Also, one ACT Math subscore was 24, the next time it was 30...so...who knows...maybe I have random neuron firings of stupidity...</p>
<p>I couldn't care less about SAT scores. It's a four hour exam. One that we have almost no data on presently (this new version). It'll take years before anyone with some math sense would be willing to generate stats for their school about averages.</p>
<p>If I had my way, all the time and money spent on SAT prep would be moved to being spent on academic work - school strength, course rigor and grades get the most attention, not SATs. Even essays get more time during review than SAT scores. </p>
<p>Put things in perspective. What holds more weight: a four HOUR exam or a transcript with four YEARS of information on it?</p>
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Scholastic Aptitude Test.
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Actually, the SAT doesn't stand for anything anymore. The A has stood for Aptitude, and Acheivement, and Assessment over the years, but now it doesn't stand for anything.
Who knows what it measures :p</p>