How Reliable is the SAT

Wondering whether the SAT is reliable in predicting college preparedness or success is kind of like wondering about the meaning of life.  Its an important question, but theres no definitive answer. Still, its a question worth talking through and finding out where you stand on the issue. So, like the great philosophers in our time,  lets put our pondering caps on and try to tackle one of the biggest questions of our time: Truly, what is the meaning of life Things to know In  the last 10 years or so, the SAT really started to gather  controversy because of these very questions about its reliability. As Ive noted in this post about the pros and cons of SAT, theres a lot of research that shows the old SAT was not a reliable measure of college preparedness. Of course, there is also research that disagrees.  As a result, while a lot of schools still see  the value of the SAT as part of their admissions process, more and more schools are joining the test-optional movement. This means that students can opt out of sending in their SAT or ACT scores. Colleges  have made this move for a variety of reasons. One is that  they find that standardized tests dont test the skills they look for  their students. They may also want to give students the freedom of determining if their SAT score is a good indication of their academic performance. Finally, many schools see standardized tests as a barrier for students from underrepresented backgrounds, which is counter to their admissions goals. In fact, a lot of these schools saw increases in applications from such students when they went test-optional. Still, the jury is split about SAT reliability with valid arguments on both sides. SAT reliability for the new test According to the College Board, the SAT was revamped to better address these issues of college-relevant skills and student representation. They also claim that the new SAT is based on a lot of research about whats needed for academic success in college. They even claim that they already have evidence  that shows that the new SAT could predict success in college. While this all sounds promising, we should still be a little skeptical. Of course the  College Board is going to say that their product works! So, at the moment, the most honest answer someone can give you about SAT  reliability is, Were not so sure yet. In reality, it might take a few years of students trying out the SAT and researchers not associated with the  College Board to test  the relationship between the new SAT scores and how these students do in college. Only then we can we more confidently answer the question about SAT reliability for the new test. What this means for you If you read these arguments and find yourself morally against the SAT, thats totally fine because now, its a lot easier than ever to apply  to great schools that dont require the SAT. But if you find yourself believing in the SATs merits, thats totally fine, too. Heres the bottom line: While the SAT could be a valid measure for academic success—and a lot of schools continue to think so—it is still only  one  measurement out of many to determine college success. GPA and extracurricular activities are also really important pieces  of the college application process; students should not neglect developing these components in favor of stressing out about  the SAT. That would be a really bad idea. At the same time, doing well on the SAT can be the saving grace for students who might have had situations that kept  them from doing well on these other components. After all, the whole point of the SAT originally to was to  level the playing field for students who didnt come from privileged  backgrounds. I think we can all agree that the SAT is at its best when its used for that purpose.