Aptitude is defined as readiness and quickness in learning, or, general intelligence. Colleges have attempted to measure aptitude, in order to be more selective in the pool of students that apply, through various means, such as Grade Point Average, or Standardized Tests. The two main tests for aptitude in the United States are the ACT, and the SAT. Although the tests have been used for decades, the SAT in particular has been the subject of heated debate over the validity, reliability, and overall honesty of its ability to measure aptitude. The fact is, the SAT is a fundamentally unfair system, as the test significantly lowers the chances of high-quality students being admitted into a college; in actuality, it rewards basic knowledge of many subjects, rather than an actual understanding of the area of study a student will major in, which, in turn, results in racial and socioeconomic disadvantages, through differential scores and cost of the test. In an ideal world, the SAT and college admittance would parallel the workforce. …show more content…
Similar to the economic gap mentioned earlier, there exists a gap of about 120 points between white test scores and test scores of hispanic origin, and a gap of approximately 180 points between white and black test takers (Gewertz). Many, including Scott Jaschik, founder and editor of Insider Higher Ed, postulate that the reason for this differentiation of scores is caused by certain vernacular used on the test, such as using the word tarnishing (Jaschik). For example, students with low-income backgrounds, usually, would not be familiar with the terminology for the oxidation of silver; most likely, they never would have even held silver, let alone see it tarnish. With even greater gaps than based on economic disadvantages alone, race is another variable that the SAT seems to confound to lower test scores, and is therefore inherently