<p>News:</a> The SAT 'at War With Itself' - Inside Higher Ed
"When American high school students take an SAT that is an hour longer than it used to be, and that includes a writing test many top colleges ignore, Richard Atkinson may be the man they have to thank."
"He argued that high school grades and the SAT II (the subject matter tests) could give admissions offices the information they need far more than the SAT I (the main exam, which most people just call the SAT). Atkinson was particularly critical of the "critical reading" portion of the SAT -- and said that it appeared to serve no real purpose, and that it was "remarkable" (and not in a good way) that adding a new test and an hour's time to the SAT had failed to improve its validity."</p>
<p>Of course, the great irony of Richard Atkinson’s argument is that he was the chief proponent of adding the writing section when the debate to change the SAT began in 2001. When he served as President of the University of California he threatened to stop requiring the SAT unless it went under the changes he is now continuing to criticize.</p>