<p>Inteview with dean of admission at Reed College on the SAT-R:</p>
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In theory, there's nothing wrong with requiring that all college-bound students take a writing exam. However, this writing exam has been, and continues to be, a poor representation of a student's writing ability.</p>
<p>Paul Marthers, dean of admission at Reed College in Portland, Ore., says Reed does not look closely at the writing score, instead choosing to look at the graded writing sample required of all applicants.</p>
<p>"A paper that you wrote for a class -- and rewrote -- is a better indicator of writing ability than something dashed off in 25 minutes," Marthers said.</p>
<p>Although they are offered as a service by the College Board, the actual SAT essays written by its applicants are not evaluated by Reed.</p>
<p>However, Marthers said the SAT writing score does have some small value in the admissions decision. "A really low score, for example, has predictive value. With a low score, we need good evidence that it makes good sense to admit a student."</p>
<p>Evidence, Marthers said, can come as strong grades, or socioeconomic or cultural factors that might explain a low score.</p>
<p>The College Board believes there is a proven relationship between SAT writing scores, GPA and English grades among college students, and this year it released a study -- conducted by College Board researchers -- supporting that theory.</p>
<p>The study also implies that the SAT writing test might be driving writing instruction; the knowledge of an upcoming writing exam for all college-bound students dictates that schools stress writing in their curriculum.</p>
<p>Despite criticism, the College Board isn't likely to eliminate the writing test, even for those students applying to colleges that don't require a writing exam.
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<p>Many of us do agree that just as the old SAT writing subject test was imperfect so is the new SAT writing section. Two years into the new SAT, I must say I have noticed a positive impact at my kids' high school. Simply because everyone must take the writing test there is more emphasis on grammar and writing in the curriculum - and thank goodness, teachers are not encouraging formulaic, lazy thinking nor merely teaching to the test. I do find it significant that while Reed does require the submission of an in-class, graded writing sample the new SAT is recognized to play a role, albeit small, in the admissions process. At the same time, I also can't help wonder just how welcome Les Perelman's idea for a better test would be - a test that would consist of two substantial essays written over the course of a day (because according to National Commission on Writing, one sample is insufficient to measure a student's writing and students need time to plan, revise and edit) graded, via the internet, by high school and college faculty.</p>