I hope the College Board catches the flack??it deserves for its decision??to (starting in 2010)??show colleges only the SAT scores that the??students who earn them choose to reveal--i.e., if Johnny takes the test 10 times, Johnny gets to show State U. only his best score.??Currently, university admissions officers see both how many times a student took the SAT and how he scored on??each attempt.
The College Board's purported reason for the rules shift: Taking the pressure off test-takers. The real reason: Making more money. Unfortunately for poor kids, they??won't be able to pay to take the SAT multiple times. Suburban kids--the ones who already shell out thousands for private prep classes, and who go to schools where guidance counselors map out every step of the test-taking plan--will. You better believe that??starting in 2010, it's going to be assumed that??middle-class??high schoolers??take the SAT??every single time its offered.????
Furthermore, the College Board is watering down the SAT's integrity.??I know, I know--the organization tells us that an individual's scores will not??significantly increase after multiple retakes. Of course, common sense tells us??that claim is??baloney and will be proven as such come 2011. But assuming that??it is??true, doesn't it??render irrelevant??the College Board's ostensible concern about lowering test-taking pressure???(If a kid knows he won't??score better on his tenth attempt than on his first, why would the option of multiple retakes without consequences lessen his anxiety?)????
This change is just so wrong on so many levels. It's bad for poor kids and should offend those who care about standards and merit in college admissions.