A List of Reasons Why the SAT is Bogus (for Wing)
Most people these days complain about how useless, pointless, and silly the SAT is. The biggest problem is, as factual as their claims are, they have very little evidence to back it up. CollegeBoard makes a pretty good effort to keep their flaws out of the light, but the problem is companies like that can't hide forever. I've had three personal tutours, one college counselour, taken 11 or so SATs (practice and the real thing), own three copies of the official blue SAT test guide (why, I'm not sure, but I've almost completed the thing and intend to burn it once I'm done), and enrolled in three different prep classes for the test.
I'd like to think I'm well versed in just why this test is a load of crap. Questions are cited are directly from CollegeBoard's newest release of "The Official SAT Study Guide" book as of September 2007.
"The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath each sentenceare five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not select one of the other choices.
In making your selection, follow the requirements of standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, sentence construction, and punctuation. Your selection should result in the most effective sentence -- clear and precise, without awkwardness and ambiguity."
Alright, seems easy enough, right? Except when you get to that last paragraph. In all honesty, the SAT rarely, if ever, tests punctuation. And only about half to three-fourths of the questions test grammar So, if this is a grammar portion of the SAT, what makes up the other quarter or so of this section? Usually questions regarding stylistic improvements or idioms. Style is a highly subjective element of writing, so why is it being graded objectively? Context, author purpose, and the era of the writing provided all have heavily to do with what "style" is appropriate or not, and since none of these three things are provided to the test-taker, how can they successfully judge which stylistic corrections must be made? Also, style varies from person to person; there's is no definite "right answer" to a stylistic inquiry. Secondly, testing students on how to properly use certain idioms automatically puts certain people at a disadvantage. Just because one is unfamiliar with a colloquial idiom the CollegeBoard happens to think is important doesn't mean they know any more or less about grammar than the next average Joe. For example can one be "far away from [being] a diehard conservative" (p.783)? No, idiomatically speaking, that is incorrect. Here's another; which underlined portion of this sentence is wrong (or is the whole thing alright)?
"Contrasting with most other fifteenth-century rulers, Portuguese kings could count on the support of aristocracy in any overseas ventures." (p.417)
Okay, so it sounds a little choppy, but at least half of the SAT grammar questions even in their corrected form sound choppy. Grammatically speaking, though, this sentence is correct, right? Wrong! "Contrasting with" is idiomatically incorrect. But... hey! What does that even mean, anyways? "Idiomatically incorrect?" To put it in simple terms, "it sounds bad." That's it in a nutshell -- the SAT tests your ability to determine whether something "sounds okay." And... what does this have to do with grammar again? You can thank CollegeBoard for these and many other fine ambiguities that shamelessly pull down your final score.
"If x is divisible by 3 and y is divisible by 5, which of the following must be divisible by 15?
I. xy
II. 3x+5y
III. 5x+3y" (p.795)
Alright, well, I suppose if we plug numbers in for x and y, and can manage to get something divisible by 15, it's correct, right? Well, I's going to have to be divisible by 15 (let x=3 and y=5, you get 15, which is divisible by itself). Check. II seems a little difficult, but, hey! if you plug 15 in for both x and y it works, right? You get 120, and that's divisible by 15. Check. And again, if you let et x=3 and y=5 on III, you'll get 30, which is divisible by 15. Check. All three are correct, right? Wrong! II isn't right, since it's not divisible by 15 in all cases, while the other two must be. Wait... but when did it specify that it always had to be the case? As long as x and y stay constant (let's make them both equal 15), then all cases "must" be correct. Oh, but... wait... that's not what CollegeBoard meant, sorry. You're supposed to be able to read their minds regardless of how ambiguous their questions are. And I'm sure if you've taken even one SAT, you've lost a point or two to CollegeBoard's inability to phrase questions fairly.
"I hereby agree to the conditions set forth online at www.collegeboard.com and/or in the SAT Registration Booklet and certify that I am the person whose name and address appear on this answer sheet."
Okay, so far this seems pretty reasonable -- a verification that you are the person you say you are. Even though it's a little shifty that they're requiring (not requesting) that you agree to standards you are not allowed to view (no, you can't take out your laptop to look up just exactly which criteria your agreeing to on collegeboard.com), I think I can deal. But the contract continues:
"By signing below, I agree not to share any specific test questions or essay topics with anyone after I test by any form of communication, including, but not limited to: email, text messages, or use of the Internet."
What? What is this!? Some contract to enter Area 51!? Since when is CollegeBoard authorized to deny my freedom of speech? And so strictly too! All too many times teachers or professors will ask their students "What was the SAT like?" or "What did you write for your essay?" What are you supposed to say, "Sorry, ma'am, I'm sworn to silence and may not utter a word regarding the test I have just taken. If you question me any further, I'm going to have to call the authorities on you." No! This is bogus, and we all know why the CollegeBoard has put this waver on their exam -- it keeps people from prepping for the SAT without paying them. It enable students to share study tips without actually profiting the CollegeBoard itself. As beneficial as sharing might seem to the student (the customer), CollegeBoard refuses to let any money slip between the cracks. So they induct their customers into a vow of silence to keep the financial revenue coming their way. Seems a little selfish, right? Well, people'll do anything for money these days...
Okay, so there's my list. I hope you enjoyed it, and have learned a little something about the SAT, for better or for worse. Someday I hope these problems are changed, 'cause honestly I think the institution of a standardized test is beneficial to all students, as long as it is fair and just. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to list them in your comments below. And I encourage people to distribute this amongst their friends. Whether you feel change must be invoked, or don't really mind either way, I think knowledge is the first step in any and all reforms. That's why I posted this. Thank you.
I'd like to think I'm well versed in just why this test is a load of crap. Questions are cited are directly from CollegeBoard's newest release of "The Official SAT Study Guide" book as of September 2007.
- Obviously some reading and grammar questions are going to be a bit debatable, but CollegeBoard really crosses the line on this one. As many know, the grammar sections include "sentence revisions," wherein a setence with an underlined portion is gived, and the test-taker must choose one of four corrections to the underlined sections or decide to leave it as is. The instructions given on the official SAT are as follows.
"The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence is underlined; beneath each sentenceare five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not select one of the other choices.
In making your selection, follow the requirements of standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, sentence construction, and punctuation. Your selection should result in the most effective sentence -- clear and precise, without awkwardness and ambiguity."
Alright, seems easy enough, right? Except when you get to that last paragraph. In all honesty, the SAT rarely, if ever, tests punctuation. And only about half to three-fourths of the questions test grammar So, if this is a grammar portion of the SAT, what makes up the other quarter or so of this section? Usually questions regarding stylistic improvements or idioms. Style is a highly subjective element of writing, so why is it being graded objectively? Context, author purpose, and the era of the writing provided all have heavily to do with what "style" is appropriate or not, and since none of these three things are provided to the test-taker, how can they successfully judge which stylistic corrections must be made? Also, style varies from person to person; there's is no definite "right answer" to a stylistic inquiry. Secondly, testing students on how to properly use certain idioms automatically puts certain people at a disadvantage. Just because one is unfamiliar with a colloquial idiom the CollegeBoard happens to think is important doesn't mean they know any more or less about grammar than the next average Joe. For example can one be "far away from [being] a diehard conservative" (p.783)? No, idiomatically speaking, that is incorrect. Here's another; which underlined portion of this sentence is wrong (or is the whole thing alright)?
"Contrasting with most other fifteenth-century rulers, Portuguese kings could count on the support of aristocracy in any overseas ventures." (p.417)
Okay, so it sounds a little choppy, but at least half of the SAT grammar questions even in their corrected form sound choppy. Grammatically speaking, though, this sentence is correct, right? Wrong! "Contrasting with" is idiomatically incorrect. But... hey! What does that even mean, anyways? "Idiomatically incorrect?" To put it in simple terms, "it sounds bad." That's it in a nutshell -- the SAT tests your ability to determine whether something "sounds okay." And... what does this have to do with grammar again? You can thank CollegeBoard for these and many other fine ambiguities that shamelessly pull down your final score.
- Alright, but at least math is never ambiguous, right? Everything in math is precise and you really can't argue the answer, can you? Well, somehow CollegeBoard found a way to disprove this, too. Check this:
"If x is divisible by 3 and y is divisible by 5, which of the following must be divisible by 15?
I. xy
II. 3x+5y
III. 5x+3y" (p.795)
Alright, well, I suppose if we plug numbers in for x and y, and can manage to get something divisible by 15, it's correct, right? Well, I's going to have to be divisible by 15 (let x=3 and y=5, you get 15, which is divisible by itself). Check. II seems a little difficult, but, hey! if you plug 15 in for both x and y it works, right? You get 120, and that's divisible by 15. Check. And again, if you let et x=3 and y=5 on III, you'll get 30, which is divisible by 15. Check. All three are correct, right? Wrong! II isn't right, since it's not divisible by 15 in all cases, while the other two must be. Wait... but when did it specify that it always had to be the case? As long as x and y stay constant (let's make them both equal 15), then all cases "must" be correct. Oh, but... wait... that's not what CollegeBoard meant, sorry. You're supposed to be able to read their minds regardless of how ambiguous their questions are. And I'm sure if you've taken even one SAT, you've lost a point or two to CollegeBoard's inability to phrase questions fairly.
- So now that we've explored the ambiguity of so many SAT questions, I'm beginning to wonder -- what does the SAT really test? Knowledge? No, I think by the time you're a juniour or a senior, you know how to plug in numbers in for x and y and when you have to pluralize nouns and verbs; and yet you still only got a 1800 (out of 2400). That hardly seems like a fair grade for someone that knows the material. No, the SAT tests how much sleep you got the night before, how long you can functionally sit in a chair and still answer nerve-wracking problems, and most importantly, how much money you've poured into CollegeBoard study materials and prep courses. That's right -- the only way you're going to figure your way SAT's ambiguity is by paying them. At the very least, you're going to have to blow 20 bucks (27 in Canada) on the study guide if you even hope to have a realistic chance at getting a decent grade. And then prep programs can cost anything from an additional 500 to 3000 dollars a pop. Oh, and did I mention just taking the SAT costs money? That's right, you have to pay to take a test that's required for most college applications. The SAT originally claimed to be a way for the lower economic class to prove their intellectual worth, but I'm thinking more and more it's now being used as a way to oppress that same class and grant more wealthy people one-way tickets into college. I mean, if you're struggling just to keep food on the table, how do you plan to pay for your kid to pass a test that supposedly measures knowledge he already has -- oh, wait! It doesn't.
- Quick poll: if you're going to measure a kid's intelligence, what time would be the best to quiz them? God-awful early in the morning, mid-afternoon, or midnight? What time did you pick? Afternoon? Oh, well, shame that CollegeBoard disagrees with you on this one. That's right, you're expected to recall all the information you've learned and prepped for at eight or nine in the morning... on a weekend! SAT claims to be put out for the betterment of the students and as a way to let intelligent people shine, but I'm sorry... testing people at a time they'd rather be letting their intellect rest doesn't seem like a very strategic way to go about fulfilling that claim.
- Oh, and on the subject of physical state during the test, did you know there's no retakes? I was dead-sick during my second SAT with a bad case of strep throat, and yet no retake date was offered and CollegeBoard refused to refund my money. Perhaps this seems a bit petty, but if my future is riding on this exam, should it be tailored to my benefit and not the financial gain of some monopolized standardized test company? I'm the customer, here; what happened to "the customer always comes first?"
- There are laws out there (at least in America) that say for every x hours, an employee is required to have y minutes of break time. This is an undeniable right of all workers in this country, and similarly, students have a similar code -- for every x days of schooling, they receive y days of vacation. This is what most of us call summer. However, somehow this labour moral gets thrown out the window when it comes to SATs. With the release of the revised 2400-point SAT, the test now lasts just short of four hours long. If you were employeed in the workforce, this would mean you'd get minimum 30 minutes of break time by law. This right is undeniable. Yet SAT test-takers only get nine minutes. Not ninety, not nineteen... nine. And these nine minutes are distributed into one 5 and two 2 minute breaks every two sections or so. Putting aside the stress and mental strain of the test alone, this means a student is subject to almost 4 hours of straight testing without food, water, or restroom breaks. I mean... that's not to say that you can't go pee in the middle of the SAT, but if you do, there's a 99.99% chance you won't finish the section you're working on or come back before your sparse 5 minute break is over. So which is more threatening... your bladder rupturing or getting a reasonable score on your SAT? The sad thing is most people would rather have bladder problems than get below a 2000 on their exam.
- Did you skip breakfast before the SAT? Had to wake up too early to cook something fast? Absolutely starving during the exam? Tough, you're not allowed to eat while taking the SAT. At all. Regardless of how it affects your score, somehow quietly munching a granola bar is considered to be cheating...
- Did you know you're not allowed to take the SAT without signing a legal waver before filling in any of the answers? The contract is as follows:
"I hereby agree to the conditions set forth online at www.collegeboard.com and/or in the SAT Registration Booklet and certify that I am the person whose name and address appear on this answer sheet."
Okay, so far this seems pretty reasonable -- a verification that you are the person you say you are. Even though it's a little shifty that they're requiring (not requesting) that you agree to standards you are not allowed to view (no, you can't take out your laptop to look up just exactly which criteria your agreeing to on collegeboard.com), I think I can deal. But the contract continues:
"By signing below, I agree not to share any specific test questions or essay topics with anyone after I test by any form of communication, including, but not limited to: email, text messages, or use of the Internet."
What? What is this!? Some contract to enter Area 51!? Since when is CollegeBoard authorized to deny my freedom of speech? And so strictly too! All too many times teachers or professors will ask their students "What was the SAT like?" or "What did you write for your essay?" What are you supposed to say, "Sorry, ma'am, I'm sworn to silence and may not utter a word regarding the test I have just taken. If you question me any further, I'm going to have to call the authorities on you." No! This is bogus, and we all know why the CollegeBoard has put this waver on their exam -- it keeps people from prepping for the SAT without paying them. It enable students to share study tips without actually profiting the CollegeBoard itself. As beneficial as sharing might seem to the student (the customer), CollegeBoard refuses to let any money slip between the cracks. So they induct their customers into a vow of silence to keep the financial revenue coming their way. Seems a little selfish, right? Well, people'll do anything for money these days...
- Okay. Some of the facts above may seem a little petty or unconvincing to you. Some of them may seem like valid points to start a rebellion. Some of them you may not even totally understand, and that's fine. I was merely asked to construct a list of things I felt made the SAT unfair to today's youth. Worry not, though! I saved the best for last!! But first off, I need to make sure everyone knows what the "experimental" portion of the test is. Added to the new, revised, 2400-point version of the SAT in addition to the essay, the experimental section is a seemingly harmless segment of the test that doesn't count towards your score but is included for the "benefit of the company, and indirectly the test-takers themselves." Wait, but if it doesn't count, then why would people take complete it to begin with? Why don't people just skip the experimental section? Well, there's the problem... you don't know which of the 9 (essay excluded) sections is the experimental one! And there's no obvious way to guess; it's disguised just like any other section! Okay, well... I guess a little bit of extra work won't hurt you, right? Think of it as practice? Yeah, that's what CollegeBoard would like you to do -- don't dwell anymore on the subject, just do as they tell you... Well, unfortunately for them, I'm not one of those people that can just drop a subject without totally understanding it, so I asked someone well-versed in the SAT just what exactly this "experimental" section was. "Well..." he replied hesitantly, "It's basically a bunch of questions CollegeBoard created that they're still not sure are totally ready to be put on the 'official' SAT. It's pretty much what the title entails -- they're 'experimenting' with new questions, and judging on what the outcome is, they'll either use those potential questions on the next test or scrap them. It's kind of like an optional quality survey, except... it's not really optional." I thanked the guy for the information, and went back to my dorm at the time to consider things. Let's consider the facts so far here... You are paying for a test which will give you a score that highly affects your college admission; this test contains a hidden section that is set up for the benefit of the company and the company alone; you are required to complete this section whether you like it or not, even though it has nothing to do with what you paid for -- wait! Let me get this straight... Test-takers are paying to do the job of the company they're supporting? We're the guinea pigs of some corporation that refuses to reimburse us for the service we're doing them? Last I checked, this is a serious case of the company exploiting their customers, and yet no one has ever filed a complaint about it? And as far as I can tell, CollegeBoard does a pretty good job of keeping this rather extreme unjustice swept under the rug. I mean, no one wants to lose customers, right?
Okay, so there's my list. I hope you enjoyed it, and have learned a little something about the SAT, for better or for worse. Someday I hope these problems are changed, 'cause honestly I think the institution of a standardized test is beneficial to all students, as long as it is fair and just. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to list them in your comments below. And I encourage people to distribute this amongst their friends. Whether you feel change must be invoked, or don't really mind either way, I think knowledge is the first step in any and all reforms. That's why I posted this. Thank you.