<p>For those of you who have taken AP statistics or just understand correlation in general, I have found an interesting study done on a very random sample of students which proves that SAT scores are a better predictor of college GPA than high school GPA. Scroll down to the correlations table. The most important cells to note are: SAT Total for Male and Female recentered to college GPA correlation compared to the HS GPA to college GPA correlation. The SATs correlate to college GPA at .51 while HS GPA correlates at the .48 level. While this seems hardly significant to those who haven't taken statistics, it is significant when you are evaluating 2 million students a year. If another person says "SAT only measure how well you take the SATs", show them this site.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think Banker88 brings up a good point. GPA is not a uniform scale and neither are the classes people take at their different schools whereas SAT is. People talk lots sh%&t about how unfair the SAT is, which is true to a certain extent and thats where its error shows. I think the SAT is well intentioned even if it does have its flaws. And it is close to the best it can be right now. But GPA or intensity of the classes ppl take is not uniform which makes it more faulty in determining success after high school.</p>
<p>I definitely think SAT scores are the better indicator. HSs are so different and some are much easier than others so to only use GPA would be completely unfair to kids at harder HSs.<br>
At least the SAT is the same for everyone. When someone says the val (or anyone in the top 25% for that matter) at their school has an SAT score of like 1900 I really question the rigor of their school... at my school you'd be in the bottom 10% with an SAT score like that</p>
<p>^^^ Whoa. That's a tough high school. The average math + verbal at my school is a 960 or something like that. I'm in the top 10% and got a 1380 (M+V)... but that was without studying, hopefully i can break 1400 with studying...</p>
<p>yeah... i have a 2130 (1420) and i'm nowhere near the top 10% unfortunately. we don't rank though thank god. last yrs sr class avg was around 1340 but for my class it'll probably be a lot higher</p>
<p>sapphire, colleges know how hard your high school is. If you have a 3.7 GPA at a very hard high school, colleges know that's good work. If you have the same GPA at a not-so-hard high school, colleges will take that into account as well.</p>
<p>SATs, contrary to whatever the hell banker is trying to say, have been shown over and over to be not as good of a predictor of college GPA as high school GPA. I don't have a link to show at the moment because I'd rather not have to go through with the bother, but I will if you really want me to.</p>
<p>The SAT is pretty much just a way for the collegeboard to suck more money out of us.</p>
<p>I don't really agree with the survey either because there are a lot of people that get great scores on their SAT and ACT but they don't give a crap about their grades and probably will not in college either. Although I agree the survey is probably accurate for those people who do work hard in school..</p>
<p>Just the same, I find it HIGHLY interesting and somewhat infuriating that people get 1990's on SATs and yet have a 3.9 GPA. Compared to a 3.7 or 3.6 person who scored a respectable 2310, who would you take?</p>
<p>Everything is so relative you can't really pinpoint or rely on any single factor anymore.</p>
<p>I think the SAT is a better indicator. The thing is also though, if you aren't a "good test taker", then how do you do well on tests you've never seen before, but can't do well on a test that you have like pretty much unlimited resources and tries for?</p>
<p>SAT much better....
HS GPA is so unreliable to the adcoms. Especially if schools (like mine) does not provide ranking at all. (only decile). My HS's SAT avg. is like 1100 something... The courses are challenging too. HS varies soooo much. Each teachers are diff. and each has diff. environment. diff. course load each with diff. standard.
Therefore, SAT (which is supposedly standardized) is more reliable.</p>
<p>Of course, the combination of both show more about an applicant.</p>
<p>haha sapphire i agree with you but you are a bit of an elitist. since when is a 1900 a horrible score? it is pretty much a 1300 (M+V). i find it funny how you consider a 2310 a "respectable" score. what a joke.</p>
<p>It really depends. An 800 on the SAT math component doesn't necessarily indicate success at a liberal arts college. Truthfully, essays are much more telling in the LAC admissions process than either GPA or SAT. If you don't have the ability to communicate effectively or to detail complex ideas, you will not succeed at a school like amherst, reed, or st. john's. The same cannot be said for large public universities or, I'd imagine, schools like MIT or Caltech. SAT scores may very well be the best indicators for such schools. A high SAT score coupled with a luckluster GPA means nothing. Admissions committees don't give a damn about an applicants aptitude if they haven't demonstrated that they are invested enough in their education to work hard. -Derek</p>