In the history of modern colleges, the SAT has been the most widely accepted standardized test by students. The SAT was first introduced in 1926, and since then it has been used by millions of college applicants to demonstrate their academic prowess. Following the creation of the SAT, there have been countless debates on whether it should be scrapped or kept due to its potential to unfairly discriminate against students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and its possible lack of correlation with academic success. Every year, more schools begin to shift toward test-optional, while many schools continue to use mandatory standardized testing. To fully understand and agree on an answer to this debate, extensive research must be done, and students …show more content…
This is because the SAT provides a nationally based measurement, which helps make college admissions more fair and transparent. Critics claim that getting rid of the SATs would eliminate major cheating in the college admissions process, which would benefit both students and colleges alike. According to Forbes, "In October, a proctor pled guilty to fixing students’ scores in exchange for bribes" (Cooper). However, critics argue that it is flawed because, according to Forbes, SAT scores can still be useful as a check to see if a student's grades truly do reflect his academic level (Cooper put the page number for all of your citations ). It is clear that while the SAT is not perfect, getting rid of it is simply not the answer and could cause even more issues, such as cheating, grade inflation, and bribing teachers. Due to this, the SAT is essential in the college admissions …show more content…
Some students might not have the privilege of attending a good public school; they also may be extremely smart, but their grades do not reflect that. The SAT gives these students the opportunity to demonstrate their intellectual capabilities by allowing them to take an exam that measures their aptitude on a standardized scale, giving them a shot at their dream school. The article "Why is the SAT Falling Out of Favor?" explains this claim quite well. The article states that when high school grades do not suffice, the SAT is another way to demonstrate smarts (Cooper). Not only does this show how the SAT is beneficial for students, but it also shows how helpful this could be for colleges. With the SAT, colleges can easily compare applicants from different schools and backgrounds in a fair way. Furthermore, the article "Harvard Extends Test-Optional Admissions Policy for Four Years" states that standardized tests provide a universal gateway for all students (Cooper). This is saying that with the many varieties of teachers and grading standards across high schools in the world, the SAT is a way for all students to be graded on a singular, equal platform. The SAT is important because it allows students to be compared with their peers in a universal and fair way, giving them a more fair gateway into