FREE SAT'S Essay (original) (raw)

is a test that has been used in the college admissions process for over fifty years. It was introduced by the president of Harvard University, James Bryant Conant, and the head of ETS (Educational Testing Service), Henry Chauncey. Initially, they envisioned this test to be an idealistic way to evaluate and categorize American students based on intelligence testing. The reason behind this, however, is more deeply rooted. Chauncy and Conant came up with this idea shortly after WWII ended, with the intentions that it would "create a new democratic elite that would lead postwar America to progress, strength, and prosperity" (www.the-big-test.com). This plan, however, did not fulfill their aspirations. While the test was successful in creating an upper-class, it also effectuated disaccord and hostility, especially pertaining to issues of class and race. This test, though it was intended to create a NEW aristocracy, it merely created a "meritocracy" that is "neither natural nor inevitable, and it does not apportion opportunity equally or fairly" (www.the-big-test.com).
When the test was originally introduced, the letters SAT stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test. This is no longer the case. The College Board (the organization that sponsors the SATs) got rid of the acronym but kept the letters, allowing them to stand on their own, free of the controversy surrounding the meaning of the word aptitude. (www.howstuffworks.com) The test assesses the math and verbal reasoning abilities that a student has acquired over the years. The questions are aimed at determining how capable a student is when it comes to analyzing written material, coming up with conclusions, distinguishing between various nuances of meaning, and solving math problems. These are all skills that are considered a necessity if a student wants to succeed in college, as well as later on in one's respective work field.
The SATs have often showed inconsistencies in the scores of different ethnicities and sexes.

1. SAT

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) adopted the SAT I back in 1944. ... This paper will attempt to explain the history and make-up of the SAT I, as it is compared to the recent day SAT I Test. ... The history of the SAT has origins that date back to the First World War. ... Later in 1944, ETS was chartered and the SAT was en route to becoming the standard college admissions tool for universities across the nation, (The Big Test: SAT I, p.1). ... Regarding the consistency and reliability of the SAT I as is applies to measuring the intelligence of students, many would argue that the SAT I is ...

2. SAT controversy

Today's SAT simply determines acquired knowledge and largely ignores raw intelligence. ... Some feel that the SAT gives disadvantaged students the opportunity to prove themselves. ... This is what constitutes the SAT as a biased test. There is a notably large gap of performance between different groups on the SAT. ... The SAT is known to favor students of white origin. ...

3. SAT Fraud

One-three-letter acronym has terrified high school students all over America for the past seventy-five years: SAT. ... The SAT's does not really test a person's aptitude, but the way they can take this particular test. ... If the SAT's measure a person's intelligence, what does it say for the student who has a 3.9 GPA but a 750 SAT score? ... A person with low SAT scores but excellent and solid GPA's, what of them? ... Unavoidably, the SAT's has become a vital part of our society. ...

4. SAT score

When I realized my SAT I score had come, I closed my eyes and prayed for a high score. ... I had known SAT score was going to be challenge exam, but the result still shocked me. ... My SAT I score made me feel as if I had not developed my potential and skill to do college work. ... During the school year I had no time to study the SAT. ... The SAT program helped me improve my weakness on the SAT I, especially my vocabulary. ...

5. Argumentation Paper: SAT

Students who take the SAT have scores that ranging from 200 to 1600. ... The SAT has unequal results tied to unequal education because of race, class and gender. ... The SAT is flawed by decision-making, experience, and money. ... In addition, the student with a 1200 SAT might be viewed as more worthy of admission than a student with a 900 on the SAT. ... Those students who could not afford to be coached were at a disadvantage for taking the SAT. ...

6. The SATs: Out of Touch

The SAT test is the oldest and most widely used college entrance exam. ... The SAT score simply measures your ability to take the SAT test, theoretically, a skill that can be learned through coaching class. ... As it is now, there is too much emphasis placed on SAT scores. ... Approximately 300 schools in the United States have ditched the SAT requirement for admission. ... However, as it stands, the current SAT test should not be used. ...

7. ACT/SAT Scores Say Nothing

High school students nationwide are expected to take the much hated ACT or SAT. The ACT and SAT are supposed to rate students' knowledge but they fail miserably. ... They take a look at his/her low ACT or SAT score and reject them. ... Math is one of the subjects on the ACT and SAT. ... They too are discovering how faulty ACT and SAT scores can be. ...

8. The SAT Controversy

The SAT Controversy 1) According to the video and the article, who and how was the SAT developed and for what purpose? The SAT, or as it was called in the beginning, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, had its debut in the late 1930's. ... Countless articles argue for keeping the SAT and just as many seem to argue for abolishing it. ... The SAT test was specifically designed with that in mind. ... Finally, the argument exists that since minorities tend to score lower on the SAT than whites, that alone is a very good reason to eliminate using the SAT. ...

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