Severely handicapped class arrives - The Lowell

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The ton//, Dtcember 7,19*4, Pag* 15
IN DEPTH
The SAT: is it overemphasized?
Colleges question SAT
BrEraF.au
li the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) ottr*inphaiiicd In caliche
cfllnace tferiiioasT •
^' Due lo "grade Inflation" and a
variation c( grading standard! (or
dlflennt high school!, the CoHcL-e
Board creaied &e SAT as an ob«
.{ectrre craluatlon of students'
skills.
William Ilia, dun ol «drablions
at Bates College lr. Uwiston.
Maine, bellevei that the SAT U
ovcr-cmphaslted an-* Las becorcs
a tutus symbol fur students.
Bates COUCJJ has decided to
make the SAT score an optional
put of a student's admission
package. "We want to put the erapiiatis
on the student's four-year
academic record and their extracurricular
accompMihmcnts."
•Unstated.
Othrr universities following this
IrenJ Include Bovdoln College
(Maine). Sarah Uorence College
(New Yc-k). and the University of
Wisconsin. E\'n Harvard admissions
officers are considering making
this move.
certainly arc more tpeclfk with a
broader rank* ol test material.
While th? SATs only tat verbal
and math skill*, the Achievement*
provide tcm la English composition.
English literature, tvo loxls
of Math, French. Spanish. German.
Latla. Hebrew. American
history and social studies. Europnan
History and world culture,
biology chemistry, and physics.
According lo YVUilam Fitzilm*
motu. Harvard admlstions director.
"We've noticed over the past
several years that Achievement
Test scorn are slightly better
predictors of freshman •year per*
tormance than the SATt." Consequently.
Howard has begun to pay
more attention lo the Achievement
Test remits.
•Respite the growing discontent
with the SAT. a majority of college*
continue to employ U In their
admissions procedure.
James Rogers, dean of admissions
at Brown University pointed
out. "Any bit of information
helps. We don't put gre*~ weight
oa the SAT scores, but they are
"...Achievement Test scores are
slightly better predictors of
freshman-year performance than
the SAT's."
Another argument oppoiing tett
emphasis for college admission Is
that because the SAT supposedly
measures aptitude, which is
sonuilmes mistaken for Intelligence,
students think that, to
VCt Into cotlcre, all they must do is
score well on a genera) :«t that
docs rot measure one's ability to
learn. This lends to reduce • student's
Incentive to study,
A Hifcgcstcd solution would be
to weigh the Achievement Tests
moro heavily. These tests are considered
more comprehensive, and
useful."
At firown, eight percent of the
19M freshman class had verbal
scores In the 400'*. Some 40 percent
had scores in Ihe 70O'i.
One Lowell counselor cautioned
that an important Idea lo
remember Is that when applying to
selective colleges, the SAT score l«
often the only one facet of the candidate's
total picture. Of equal Importance
is • good high school
record, a challenging course program,
»nd extra-curricular activities.
Students favor tests
11 Do you feel your SAT wore will help or hinder your adrnUsicn
to college?
Help
63%
Hinder
29%
Neither
8%
2) Did you lake a preparatory clal- or study a preparatory
book before taking the SAT?
Yes
27%
No
73%
3) Do you f«l tile SAT should be consiucrcd (or admission to
college?
•fa
66%
No
32%
Undecided
2%
(Figures reported arc from a survey ot «U senior registries. The
average iverage SAT «c->re of the students in these six rooms was
1092.)
MOBILE
COMPUTYPE
INC.
335 Clamant Stroat
San Francisco. CA
tccVMlt
Students, faculty appraise the SAT
ByJennWoog
What do Lowcllltes think ol the
Scholastic Apitude Test (SAT)?
Certainly it'i important to them,
but do they consider It to be fair?
As must rotlcge-bound studeits
do. Lowell senion accept the
SATs as inevitable. To elevate
their scores, and thus Inctvasc
their chances of getting Into t good
school 1 , they suffer thruugh prep
courses and long study guides.
But. are the SA^s really wrih ihe
trotibie nr the arulety that they incur?
l>o they really measure aptitude
accurately?
Mcit Lowell students think not.
Senior Gordon Tang remarkrd.
"Whenever you takt a nulti^
choke test, it's unfair because
you're not allowed to tell whjr you
picked V or *b*...U't not a think*
Ing test." Jessica Leung, senior,
adtied. The areas of the lest art
not at all ct-cnprehtni've."
A lew view the SAT »» an «Ccurate
test of aptitude, but still do
not think It can Indicate a student*',
success, or failure, in col*
Icfiv.
Lowell alumna Unda Woo CM)
commented. "Sure. It measured
my aptitude, but not my ability to
learn, which is more Important in
college. 1 *
Many students polnlcJ out ;he
popularity of SAT prep courses
and the widespread uw go of
specialized study guides. Are SAT
scores really Indicative of aptitude
If students can gain » hundred
points through a prep course?
Settlor Shoko K&shlyarna stated.
"The SAT Is a good lndica*or ot
intelligence, but prep, courses
should not be offered because they
simply elevate \corcs without
teaching. Students, simply by oof
.•"•ing a course, then become
dtsadvanuged."
Most studenu, even those with
high scores, feel that the SATs are
given too much Importance in col'
lege admissions. Senior Brad Hopper
remarked. "There's too much
importance placed oa them — the
lest doesn't seem to be a telling Indicator
of your learning ability.
We've been taking the same kind
of test for so long — it's too easy.
too simplistic.**
Students feet that grades and
achievements should be more important
to t,olk|*cs. Senior LeuaK
added "I think that grades are the
single most important factor.
That's what you've spent four
yrart workini* on. tah.'e the SAT**
ju.i repment onu morning."
So. If students are sure that the
SAT scores are not a good measurr
of their altitude or college success,
why are they so resigned ID taking
It and being measured by it?
loAnn Stewart. English teacher.
explained, "We need to have
some kind ol standardized tests
because high schools are different
and have different grading stan*
fianls* If admissions were based on
grades alone, kids from .Lowell
would be at great disadvantage.**
Sector Mike Zimmerman also
noted the Importance of ihe SAT.
STUDENT AI&
and stressed that colleges keep the
scores In perspective. He commented.
"You know that coUeges
look at Brides as well. They want
an over-all picture...mou kids
won't get in on scores or grades
alone." If It is true that uarrer*
sitles should have a standardized
test, is the SAT really standardized?
Many stuoents complain ot
poor testing conditions. Complaint*
ot KOI C drills during an
cum are cot uncommon, for ex*
ample. Also, consider UH> students
*bo opt to take the American Col*
lege leal (ACT). The*r scores are
eminted u equal to those