Exam responsible for reflecting disparities, not creating them

Tor is a second-year political science student.

By Chey Tor

About three weeks ago, Richard C. Atkinson, president of the
University of California, announced his proposal to abolish the use
of the SAT I in the admission process for one of the finest
university systems in the nation. Calling the overemphasis on SAT I
scores in admissions “the educational equivalent of a nuclear
arms race,” Atkinson recommended that, in lieu of the SAT,
students applying to the UC should take a test that has a
“demonstrable relationship” between the content of the
exam and the materials covered in high school.

I applaud Atkinson for his courage to be the first college
president of a very prominent university system to propose an
overhaul of the SAT. But, his call to abolish the use of the very
popular standardized exam in the college admission process is too
extreme an action. The content of the SAT exam could use some
modifications, but certainly should not be eliminated.

Widely used by many colleges as an admission criterion, the test
has come to represent the hallmark of educational transition from
high school to college.

The University of California has respected the exam’s role
in the admission process, and I hope that it continues to do so.
The intention of the UC president to eliminate the use of the SAT
is good but the proposed remedy to replace the exam is terribly
flawed.

By establishing a new exam that is designed solely for the
purpose of UC admission, the university may set a grave precedent
for other colleges to follow. The SAT was first administered with
the purpose of providing students with a test that has come to be
widely accepted in the admission processes of colleges all across
the nation. This replaced the standard of each college having its
own admission exam.

The new exam which Atkinson proposes would not rid students of
the risk of acquiring low self-esteem as a direct result of
performing poorly on a standardized test, one of the very reasons
Atkinson cites as to why the SAT should be dismantled in the UC
admissions process.

In his speech before the American Council on Education Atkinson
said, “All of us have known students who excelled in high
school, students who did everything expected of them and more,
suddenly doubt their accomplishments, their abilities and their
basic worth because they scored poorly on the SAT.”
Wouldn’t a low score or a failing grade on the proposed UC
admission test diminish the self-esteem of students as well?

Still, certain individuals have praised Atkinson’s move to
abolish the SAT. They have charged that the exam has benefited
affluent white and Asian students at the expense of poor,
underrepresented ones. They believe that with the elimination of
this standardized exam, educational opportunities will open up for
underprivileged students who tend to perform poorly on the SAT.

Do they really believe that getting rid of the SAT will get rid
of the educational disparity that is evident in our society between
students on opposing ends of the social ladder? The SAT reflects
that gap; it doesn’t create it.

Do they actually believe that the proposed UC standardized exam
will level out the playing field between rich students and poor
students?

I surely don’t think so.

Attacking the SAT for the educational disparity between rich and
poor students is not the way to solve the problem America has in
its educational system. We should be tackling the origins of the
problem, not the messenger who delivers the bad news. Making vast
improvements in the academic setup and curricula of high schools
that have demonstrated unacceptable performance (i.e. low
graduation rate, low test scores) should be the route.

Others have even argued that the SAT is an obstacle for poor
students to get a good college education. This argument is
absolutely ludicrous. If a student is really motivated to go to
college and gets a good education, he or she will attain that
goal.

The UC is not the only public university system in the state.
Who do you think will find more success in life? A graduate from a
UC who completes the bare minimum task or a graduate from a Cal
State who constantly goes above and beyond his or her call of
duty?

A degree from a prestigious institution can only carry you so
far. In fact, if a student really desires a UC degree, he or she
can obtain one without ever having to take the SAT. I have friends
who have gone directly from high school to a junior college, and
after two years, transfer here to UCLA.

Aside from the economic disparity reflected in SAT scores,
critics of the exam have pointed out that the test is not
demonstrative of a student’s capability to perform in
college. That is a valid argument. I believe that the content of
the SAT is limited in scope due to its sole emphasis on verbal and
math skills.

But that problem should not be a reason to wipe out the usage of
the SAT. I can understand the College Board’s reasoning that
math and verbal proficiency is important but the board should also
try to accommodate the varying student aptitude in different
subjects by, perhaps, adding another section to the exam in which
students can choose their specialty from the varying new
topics.

Defending the usage of the SAT, College Board President Gaston
Caperton said in a statement two weeks ago:

“The SAT now provides a national standard and encourages
high achievement. The SAT is a common yardstick in an era of grade
inflation, and where students complete different courses with
different teachers using different grading systems. It is true that
some groups of students do not perform as well as other groups on
standardized tests, including the SAT.

“As do all high-quality assessments, the SAT scores
reflect unfairness in our educational system. It is urgent that we
focus our energy on raising standards for everyone, rather than
eliminating tools that help reveal unequal educational
opportunities.”

The SAT has been, and should continue to be used as one of many
tools in a college admission process. The exam should be no more or
no less important than high school grades, essays, extracurricular
activities, interviews and any other tools that universities employ
to make admissions decisions.

Should the Academic Senate of the University of California
decide to drop the usage of the SAT in the admissions process, such
an action would be unfortunate and may cast doubt upon the
integrity of this prestigious institution.