Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT)

Paper Summary:

This paper argues that, although many colleges use the Scholastic Aptitude Tests or Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT) to determine which students will be selected for admittance, this test is affected by family incomes. The author points out that students from low income or even middle income families usually have lower scores than students who have parents with higher incomes. The paper relates that the SAT scores were not meant to measure long term academic success. The author clarifies that children who live in richer communities receive a better education than those students in poorer communities because these higher income children may go to privates schools or because schools serving lower income communities may receive less funding and therefore are unable to provide an enriched curriculum. The paper stresses that, for admittance, the SAT scores should be eliminated and grade point average should be used instead.

From the Paper:

"Research shows that students who are involved in extracurricular activities perform better on SAT scores. Students involved in extracurricular activities can be "a measurable and meaningful gain in their college admissions test scores". Even with students who come from poor families can benefit from these extracurricular activities. Yet, it is important to remember that schools with low federal funding cannot afford to have many of the extracurricular activities that schools with higher federal funding have."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Everson, Howard and Roger Millsap. "Everyone Gains: Extracurricular Activities in High School and Higher SAT Scores." College Bard Research Report (No. 2005-2). 2005. College Entrance Examination Board. 4 Mar. 2007 <http://www.collegeboard.com/research/pdf/1168cbTEXTv2.pdf>.
• "Family and Student Achievement, The." Winter 1994. 4 Mar. 2007 <http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/RRR.winter94.5.education/The_Family.html>.
• Tomaskovic-Devey, Donald and Vincent Roscigno. "Quality of Life in North Carolina." NC State University. 4 Mar. 2007 <http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/sociology/pub/qol/school_funding_and_the_quality_of_education_in_nc.html>.
• Tuttle, Tina. "High School Curriculum, Diplomas, and SAT Scores." Hoosier Briefs 1. Oct. 2004. 4 Mar. 2007 <http://www.indiana.edu/~ipas1/documents/hoosierbrief1.pdf>.
• Van Den Boom, Adam. "SAT Scores, Weighting, Prediction and the Student Descriptive Questionnaire." 13 June 2001. Office of Research and Evaluation, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. 4 Mar. 2007 <http://www.imsa.edu/learning/research/sats.html>.

More papers on Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT):

• Persuasive Essay # 46514 : "Cultural Bias in Scholastic Aptitude Tests"
• Essay # 88634 : "The Scholastic Aptitude Test"
• Essay # 22057 : "Use Of The Scholastic Aptitude Test"

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