Monday, June 13, 2016

What is the Value of the SATs?

The Admissions Office of UVA notes:

3. Scores from different exams aren't combined.We don't mix sections from different exams together. So we wouldn't put a math score from the ACT together with a reading/writing score from the SAT. Similarly, we won't mix sections from the old SAT and the new SAT. The College Board directed colleges on this last summer. They said it isn't appropriate to mix old and new because the exams are different.

Thus read that last sentence again. Well then what is the purpose of the SAT. It is to measure just what again? I gathered that some of the senior folks there came from the current Administration. That ought to pan out well, just look at their overall record.

SATs are like any other multiple choice exam. Drill Drill Drill. It is the low end equivalent of say the Chinese National Exams. You could have sequences several genomes, modeled successfully cancer pathway dynamics, or solved a few of Hilbert's challenges, but if you do not conform you are in my experience and in my opinion going to do poorly.

I truly feel sorry for some smart kids. If their profile does not meet the new world order then...but after all the Facebooks need some programmers...