<p>Another ka-ching for the CB.
This test was already discussed on CC a while ago.
Here's a fresh look from the New York Times:
College</a> Board Will Offer a New Test Next Fall.</p>
<p>I guess my sister will be taking that test next year.</p>
<p>At least it's not another acronym.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, the College Board officially launched its new pre-pre SAT exam, with a name that one Education Week writer likened to "a new piece of exercise equipment or a whipped dessert topping," ... ReadiStep.</p>
<p>A flurry of media coverage followed, much of it questioning the value of yet another standardized exam, especially for middle-schoolers.</p>
<p>According to this New York Times story (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/education/23sat.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/education/23sat.html</a> ) and several others, College Board officials claim that, "The test, which will be available to schools next fall, is intended only for assessment and instructional purposes and has nothing to do with college admissions."</p>
<p>Hmmm ... To me, that reads a lot like the disclaimers in Escort Service ads. ;)</p>
<p>I'm glad this wasn't around when my daughter was in the 8th grade. Her hs has freshmen who are in Algebra II or higher math take the PSAT, which IMHO is soon enough for standardized tests. </p>
<p>Even if the College Board claims it is "only for assessment," I can imagine schools using the results for placement, perhaps denying honors hs classes to good students who just had a bad day when they took the test.</p>
<p>" Even if the College Board claims it is "only for assessment," I can imagine schools using the results for placement, perhaps denying honors hs classes to good students who just had a bad day when they took the test. "</p>
<p>That's how my school does it for eight graders. They have eight graders take the "Explore" test which is a pre-pre-ACT test. If a kid doesn't get a certain score, they can't take honors classes freshman year. It really messed up some kids at my school who had a bad test day.</p>
<p>would it be a bad thing if HSs used the "readistep" for admissions purposes? the whole concept would be nearly identical to the boarding schools' SSAT.</p>
<p>Great, the later generations will face depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts from the SAT sooner than us...</p>
<p>Just great.</p>
<p>Awesome! We can fill kids with self doubt and anxiety even earlier! </p>
<p>Lay off the kids, I'm a senior and even I resent the college process. If I had been thinking about college since eigth grade I would be miserable.</p>
<p>They have a right to be brainwashed by Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and the Disney Channel just as I was at that age.... Shame on the Collegeboard. A test to prepare for high school, then a test to prepare for college, then a test to prepare for graduate school... soon there will be a standardized test to prepare kids for elementary school...</p>
<p>I took the SAT in 8th grade as part of the JHU program and I turned out fine. What's the big deal? These tests
force public schools to live up to certain standards and to actually teach kids logical/analytical skills.</p>
<p>yeah guys, i think posts #5 and #6 are overreacting a bit. . .a healthy 8th grader can see it as just another part of life. it's not that big of a deal. if one freaking standardized test that takes about 1/10000 of your year is making you miserable then you need to rethink things.</p>
<p>the sad thing is, I don't think a lot of parents will view it as just one standardized test.</p>
<p>100 percent agree. In 7th grade, I took the SAT as part of the Duke program thing and scored only an 820... It definitely didn't help me out or anything, except make me doubt whether or not I'd be able to succeed on the test in my later high school years. Fortunately I did (got a 1300), but it's not a necessity or even really a benefit.</p>
<p>The eighth-graders I know best did just fine on the SAT itself in eighth grade. They could take ReadiStep in fifth grade, just as many of them took the EXPLORE test in fifth grade.</p>
<p>Ridiculous and unnecessary....sort of like the College Board, wow!</p>
<p>Another ka-ching for the CB.</p>
<p>pretty much my thought- because with NCLB students are not taking enough tests
:rolleyes:</p>
<p>wow, everyone loves to hate standardized tests. why? because nobody wants to know the
truth about their abilities. nobody wants to know that others are stronger academically. ignorance is bliss, right?</p>
<p>i don't hate it o_o
its just a waste to have to always have to think that you must score this and that to get into x and y.</p>
<p>"Gaston Caperton, the president of the College Board, said the new test had been developed in response to the demand from schools and districts, which he said had requested a 'tool that would help them determine before high school what measures should be taken to ensure that students are on the path to being college ready.' "</p>
<p>I call bull***** on that. Does anyone really believe that a student/parent/school/teacher doesn't know this already? Look at the courses the kid is taking. That will tell you. Look at their grades. That will tell you. My son participated in Duke TIP and did very well. We don't need another test to tell us he's "on the path to being college ready."</p>
<p>And I love that when asked to name the people clamoring for this test, they came up with two: a College Board board member and the test's developer.</p>