"Revised SAT is a better grade predictor"
New test "slightly" improves predictive power of SAT. But the problem is whether it is the nature of the particular new addition (which is the way it is being sold) or simply that you have more information in general. Increasing the length of any test, either the verbal or math portions, would have also provided more information and presumably improved the predictive power of the SAT. More questions would have given a more accurate estimate of how good the student is. Here is one of the articles on this new study:
The addition of a mandatory writing section to the SAT three years ago slightly improved the exam's ability to predict academic success for college freshmen, according to a report by the test's owner. . . .
The test now takes three hours and 45 minutes, which is 45 minutes longer than the old exam, and a perfect score is now 2400, up from 1600. The test-taking fee has risen from $29.50 to $45 over the last three years. . . . .
Labels: Other
posted by John Lott at 7:35 PM
2 Comments:
I think the addition of a written essay section is a backdoor method of affirmative action fluff. Public colleges in states that have officially prohibited affirmative action have a way around it -- looking in the essay section of the admissions applications for racial clues. And that's where I think the SAT is headed -- if the essay section makes the test-taker sound more black or Hispanic, extra points.
Well now. The addition of more material has made a virtually perfect test even more perfect, according to those who write and sell the test. Who'da thunk it?
Interesting that more and more colleges and universities are no longer requiring such tests for admission. This makes sense in that more and more of those who enter college are not 18 year olds who have just graduated from high school but older adults. Testing an adult over math concepts, for example, they haven't used in years isn't exactly a brilliant method of getting a useful result. And as a teacher of English, don't get me started on standardized test writing portions.
Post a Comment
<< Home