This Really Makes Me Mad

Applying to College
41

<p>I see the point of the SAT's, but I do not think they are an indicator of how I will do in the classroom. I go to a really good public high school in CA and I have gotten an A in every single math class I have taken, but it is due to motivation and hard work. So my score on the SAT, which is low for a person who does well in math in school, does not correalate with my grade.</p>

42

<p>"I know someone who has friends in another country 9 hours ahead of us. That person sent him the SAT essay question when he finished his SAT, which was still several hours before it was time in California to take it. This person found out the SAT essay question several hours in advance and used that to his advantage."</p>

<p>There are THREE different versions of the test administered in DIFFERENT TIME ZONES.</p>

43

<p>"Hint: SAT = Scholastic Aptitude Test. Meaning it is testing aptitude in the area of scholastic study. Essentially meaning certain areas of study are prerequisite (Algebra classes, Geometry, English classes)"</p>

<p>Look who the real dipsh#t is. They dropped that name a few years ago, buddy. And I still stand by my claim that it doesn't measure IQ.</p>

44

<p>Colleges realize the SAT isn't a completely accurate representation of your academic prowess, which is why some schools (like Bowdoin and Bates) have made SAT scores optional. The Ivies came up with the SAT, so it shouldn't be a big surprise that they rely on it.</p>

<p>As far as the SAT as measuring intelligence, people debate on both sides:
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/1995-SAT-vs-Income-Education.png%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/1995-SAT-vs-Income-Education.png&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.case.edu/news/2004/3-04/satiq.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.case.edu/news/2004/3-04/satiq.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I think hard-core prepping (which many on CC do) defeats the purpose of the SAT, although it is beneficial to students.</p>

45

<p>Although SAT scores are very important, they fail to measure other desirable and necessary qualities such as maturity, leadership skills, emotional IQ, motivation, intellectual curiosity/spark. You do NOT need a super high SAT score to be successful but you will NEED the other traits. The only thing a high SAT score is good for, is getting into college. An SAT score will not predict how successful you will be in life. My SAT score is good compared to the general poplulation (and above the average for my family income and my school) but poor compared to a lot of cc members. Like a lot of other cc members, I do have a high gpa and some good ECs. Even if I had scored a 2200-2400 on my SAT, there is no way I would define myself by those scores. Furthermore, I have accomplished things in my life that are far more important and desirable than a high SAT score.</p>

46

<p>I was lucky enough to end up with good SAT'S and GPA's. </p>

<p>Like I mentioned before in previous post the SAT's are reflective of 4 hours the GPA is 4 years of work.</p>

<p>And for the kids with the amazing GPA but the horrible SAT's, the will struggle once they get into college so don't worry about that because the Karma will get them.</p>

47

<p>Daniel-</p>

<p>Why do you say they will struggle if they have an amazing GPA? GPA reflects hard work and aggressive course structure. I disagree with you. I feel the students who have high GPA with great AP and Honor history will do very well in whatever they go after.</p>

48

<p>GPA by itself measures ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Every single school has a different grading scale, different students take classes of varying difficulties, and student performance can be affected by extenuating circumstances(personal conflict with teacher, etc.). On the other hand, the SAT is taken by EVERY student vying for a spot in America's selective colleges and is therefore the most fair method of comparing student performance. It is the UNIVERSAL equalizer.</p>

<p>Look, like one of the psoters above pointed out, you students with high GPAs and low SAT scores work hard in school right??? If you guys spend so much time studying hard for school tests, then why on hell would you not spend at least 100 times as much time studting for the SAT, which is undoubtebly THE MSOT IMPORTANT TEST OF YOUR LIFE??? If you prep with all of the plethora of SAT testing material available in bookstores and exhaust every studying option out there(SAT prep classes, private tutors, etc.), there is no excuse to not achieving your target score. YOU CAN EVEN RETAKE THE TEST AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT FOR CHRIST SAKES!!!</p>

<p>I'm sorry, if you can't handle the pressure of a high school standardized test, then I doubt you will be able to handle the pressure of an Ivy courseload or the many family and career responsibilities you will have when you become an adult.</p>

<p>So stop whining all you so-called <em>bad test-takers</em> and start prepping for the SAT LIKE RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>

49

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<p>I (and I am sure some others on cc) have had responsibilites and have placed myself in situations that most adults could not handle and none of them included prepping for the SAT.</p>

50

<p>Why are people complaining about those who prep for the SAT? Studying for it shows that they care about getting into a good college. It also shows determination, diligence, etc. Aren't those the qualities that colleges want to see anyway?</p>

<p>Now, I know some slackers can get really high SAT scores, but their GPA and transcripts normally balance things out. </p>

<p>C'mon guys. If you don't want to put aside the time to study for the test, don't critize those who do.</p>

51

<p>
[quote]
Personally, I prefer the british testing system. It covers nearly every subject I can think of, its not restricted to math and english.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The problem of the British system is that it would in effect impose a national curriculum, something many people would oppose. See, if you scrap the SAT I and base admissions on SAT IIs and APs, all subject teaching would probably be based on what these tests would go by.</p>

<p>Of course prep-savvy Asia is not the US, but in Hong Kong, where I live, the syllabi of HKCEE and the HKALE (HK equivalents of the GCE O-Levels and A-Levels) has overridded the curricula of grades 10-13.</p>

<p>On the other hand, high schools (all public) admissions used an exam not unlike the SAT to level the grade differences between schools, but was scrapped a few years ago since every grade school used quite a lot of time prepping this test in school hours.</p>

52

<p>Preparing for the SAT is VERY important, many will not disagree with that.</p>

53

<p>Even though it was probably already mentioned...
I know a kid who was quite rich and who could afford every single tutor possible. He got extensive hours of tutoring everyday for the SAT and received a good score despite being, shall I say, "not the sharpest tool in shed". I know another kid who was definitely not as well off, and despite being a person of greater intelligence, he received a lower score-- if he obtained the same resources as the rich kid he definitely would've done better. I agree with whomever said that the SAT is based on economical status rather than intelligence. However, the less well-off person went to a lesser-known school and loves it-- it's the perfect match for him. The rich kid is currently at an Ivy, and I've heard that he hates it and is struggling to catch up. All in all, a high SAT score doesn't mean anything if you're not happy and successful later in life-- the less well-off kid who is going to a lesser-known school is most likely to succeed and do well in comparison to the miserable rich kid.</p>

54

<p>The purpose of the test is lost when you study extensively for it and take it multiple times.</p>

55

<p>This morning I got up at 4:30 to go off and participate in my No. 1 EC when perhaps (according to some cc members), I should have used that time to prepare for the ACT test coming up. Sure, I will prep for the ACT, just like I did for the SAT but I am still going to balance my time and devote considerable amounts of time to the activities that define me. A high ACT or SAT score does not define me and in 5 years it won't matter. At the end of the day, we are ALL going to college. Perhaps not our first choice, but we will go and most of us will graduate and lead successful lives. If you are basing your happiness on whether or not you get accepted into your college of choice, you are not living a fulfilling life. Those of you who can wing the SAT without much prep - hats off to you. Those of us who have to prepare, do so but not to the extent of giving up doing the things that truly make you happy and of course keeping up with your studies.</p>

56

<p>I stillt hink that 2/3 english is a bit too much, especially for us who don't have it as our native language....</p>

57

<p>It's for American universities where the native language is English. That's an easy one. That's like me complaining that they speak too much German in German schools.</p>

58

<p>Why do you guys say it's economically discriminatory? How is that?</p>

<p>Maybe the American public school system is, and colleges take that into effect, but the SAT? No way.</p>

<p>And, just about those stupid "classes" you can take...not every rich kid takes em. I don't even think that they'd help me. At our school, we look down on and make fun of kids who take em (esp the smart ones).</p>

59

<p>First of all its expensive. Taking the test multiple times really adds up. </p>

<p>Second the reading comprehension and writing sections are greatly biased towards people who come from a background of reading. Statistically lower income students come from homes where reading is not emphasized as much.</p>

<p>Low income students from poor performing schools are also more likely to have less access to prep courses and study guides, sites like CC for help and also are more likely to be lacking the educational preparation. </p>

<p>usw....</p>

60

<p>wow evil-asian-dic....you are wound tighter than a pair of jeans on carmen electra. Too bad most of the higher institutions agree with most of us putting SAT importance at #4 behind:</p>

<ol>
<li>GPA</li>
<li>AP and Honors course load</li>
<li>EC's</li>
<li>SAT's</li>
</ol>

<p>So go have some green tea and mellow out....phew...take a deep breath and 20 years from now when your working for some graduate from URI come back to the board and let us know how important your SAT scores were.</p>