Dr. Creighton's It Doesn T Test For Success
In her op-ed piece, It Doesn’t Test For Success, (Creighton), Joanne V Creighton, PHD asserts that standardized test scores such as the SAT’s are no longer useful in predicting the potential successes of today’s students. Dr. Creighton, who at the time was President of Mount Holyoke College, cited the errors in scoring on the SAT for approximately 4,000 students. She further stated that while the test may have made sense when first developed, it no longer presents an accurate portrait of the potential of today’s college-bound students. While Dr. Creighton presents some valid points, I do not believe we should completely disregard the value of the SAT’s. This is a complex issue with many things to consider and, as the saying goes, let’s not
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Creighton goes on to make the valid point that a “one-size fits all test could not adequately assess the diverse populations of students and schools that make up the U.S. educational landscape.” (Creighton) She also points out that the most prestigious universities are primarily made up of whites, Asians, and the wealthy, while the number of students being educated from the lower end of the economic scale is extremely low. While this may not be the level playing field that the developers of the test had envisioned, I do not think it is fair to blame that statistic solely on the results of the SAT. Other influences come into play. A report by the National Center for Education Statistics found that while qualified low-income students attend college at rates similar to qualified middle-income students, college-qualified students who believe that college is unaffordable, such as low-income and minority students, are less likely to take the necessary steps to enroll in college, such as taking the SAT. (St.John) The solution to the problem of low enrollment numbers of qualified low-income and minority students would then appear to be better communication of the ways to make college affordable. This, in turn, would increase the number of students taking college entrance exam, thereby increasing the number of students from the lower end of the economic scale receiving college educations. The annual college rankings report by U.S. News and World Report is another measurement that Dr. Creighton finds lacking. On this point I am inclined to agree with her. This report considers information other than the academic performance of students when compiling its rankings, such as acceptance rate and alumni donations, which gives the appearance of a biased
Creighton goes on to make the valid point that a “one-size fits all test could not adequately assess the diverse populations of students and schools that make up the U.S. educational landscape.” (Creighton) She also points out that the most prestigious universities are primarily made up of whites, Asians, and the wealthy, while the number of students being educated from the lower end of the economic scale is extremely low. While this may not be the level playing field that the developers of the test had envisioned, I do not think it is fair to blame that statistic solely on the results of the SAT. Other influences come into play. A report by the National Center for Education Statistics found that while qualified low-income students attend college at rates similar to qualified middle-income students, college-qualified students who believe that college is unaffordable, such as low-income and minority students, are less likely to take the necessary steps to enroll in college, such as taking the SAT. (St.John) The solution to the problem of low enrollment numbers of qualified low-income and minority students would then appear to be better communication of the ways to make college affordable. This, in turn, would increase the number of students taking college entrance exam, thereby increasing the number of students from the lower end of the economic scale receiving college educations. The annual college rankings report by U.S. News and World Report is another measurement that Dr. Creighton finds lacking. On this point I am inclined to agree with her. This report considers information other than the academic performance of students when compiling its rankings, such as acceptance rate and alumni donations, which gives the appearance of a biased