The "Need" For the SAT

     Standardized tests have been around since 1926 when the College Board introduced the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). Since the SAT was released, it has been a staple in the college admissions process, but there has been some controversy to this test recently. These recent controversies show that the SAT should no longer be needed as a means for college admission.
     Starting in 2001, the University of California school system (UC) began to think of dissipating the need for SAT scores for admissions. College Board began to think of ways to keep the SAT requirement for UC schools and released the essay portion of the SAT in 2005.
     The essay portion of the SAT failed to produce the results they hoped for, and again the UC school system is thinking of eradicating the need for SAT scores. In fact, “Nearly 50 accredited colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees announced from September 2018 to September 2019 that they were dropping the admissions requirement for an SAT or ACT score” according to Robert A. Schaeffer, public education director of FairTest, in a Washington Post interview for the article “A Record Number of Colleges Drop SAT/ACT Admissions Requirement Amid Growing Disenchantment with Standardized Tests.” This has added to the 1,050 schools that have already done the same.
     In 2019, news broke that some high profile parents had been bribing school officials millions of dollars to forge SAT scores to get kids into college. One of these bribes was upwards up $6.5 million. This shows that the system is corrupt and needs to change to be fair to all, not matter their money situation. Dozens of parents and college coaches have been accused in the college admissions scandal, with many facing jail time, but they did it to provide a better future for their child. In the end, was it worth it?
     Students work hard everyday to get into their dream school, but are losing to people who can buy their way in. I worked with a woman who was a C student in highschool, but was able to get into Stanford University with her SAT score. The system is broken, especially with colleges getting rid of SAT requirements and the recent college admissions scandal. The need for standardized tests should be eliminated to provide the most fair college admissions process. Students should be looked at based on their excellence in school and extracurricular activities, not just one test. In order to have the most fair college admissions process, the SAT requirement for college admissions should be eliminated.​

​Reporter: Myles Witte