With college applications rapidly approaching, juniors and seniors rush to sign up for the SAT, a standardized test taken by over 1.6 million students every year. The newest version has three sections: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math, with an optional essay. According to College Board, the makers of the test, the SAT is designed to measure what students have learned in high school and their preparedness for college. Due to the sheer quantity and variety of applicants that many colleges see, the SAT is usually required, as it provides a clear, standardized, and efficient way for admissions officers to categorize students and determine which students they should accept. The test is also often used to grant students merit based scholarships …show more content…
Lily Zhu, Senior, says “ I don’t want my SAT score to become something that prevents me from being able to go to a certain university. Since last year, I’ve been doing everything I can - getting a tutor, buying prep books, and taking online classes.” However, not everyone is convinced of the SAT’s value in the admission process. “I understand that the SAT is a test I should take, but I don’t think it’s worth a lot of the time and money that people put into it. Honestly, the test serves no real purpose beyond standardizing students - it doesn’t reflect what I learned in school, my academic history, or my interests” says an anonymous junior. For many years, the SAT has fallen to criticism from students and admission officers alike. Beyond clear studies conducted by the College Board itself that show no real correlation between SAT score and success in college, other independent studies such as the one done by Catherine Rampell show that the test favors wealthy, white students that come from privileged and educated backgrounds. This has resulted in a growing number of colleges that place less emphasis on SAT scores, or make the test a completely optional part of the