57-Year-Old Reporter Tackles SAT's - Page 4

mousegray · 06-04-2009, 03:47 PM

I notice that most of the posters who think this is no big deal are younger. Just wait til you're in your 50's! I am studying a foreign language in a class where the other students range from 15-25 (I'm 50), and although I pick up concepts more quickly, the memorizing is killing me. Every time I review a chapter from a few weeks ago, it's like I've never seen it before. *sigh* I would absolutely bomb the SATs, and I'm smart.

t-san · 06-04-2009, 07:30 PM

I agree - I don't think I could get the same score now as I did a year and a half ago, even with 2 weeks of prep!

I can't imagine doing it after 40 some-odd years.

ThisCouldBeHeavn · 06-04-2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Again, blindly assuming that her writing ability is of 12/12 material. As many have pointed out before, professional writers aren't necessarily perfect writers, and they usually have more than enough time at their disposal to polish their final work before publication, plus an entire army of colleagues and editors to back her up. What you read in books and the papers is the result of TEAMWORK, not an individual's effort. Please keep that in mind. Don't blame the test just because it's fashionable to do so.

I'm not making a blind assumption, I've read the article written by her. And though there is an editor, it's not like they wrote the article for her. At most they would have made a few minor changes. Even if you assume she's not a perfect writer, it's silly for the SAT to expect better than you could get out of a professional. Sure she also has to adjust for the format, but that just shows how out of step the SAT essay is with every other writing assignment a person is given.

broetchen · 06-04-2009, 08:19 PM

^ agree.

I find it a touch sad how reverently some cling to the idea that the SAT test just HAS to be accurate. Her score of "10" MUST mean that her essay wasn't that good, etc. etc. I guess College Board has done a great job indoctrinating their customers on the infallibility of their tests. Come on, people, even if you hold the reasoning test in high regard-- most people agree that the contrived nature of the essay and its scoring isn't going to necessarily reward every decent writer with a high score. And just because SAT didn't give you a high score on that essay, does not mean that you aren't a capable writer.

rmadden15 · 06-04-2009, 08:45 PM

Haha, this article made my day.

krw · 06-08-2009, 10:20 PM

Well said, ThisCouldBeHeaven.

PoetsMom · 06-08-2009, 11:52 PM

OK, I just have to speak up for the over 50 crowd and dispel the myth that at our age our cognitive skills are diminshed. Let's not contribute to the rationale of those who would discriminate against us based on age! Barring any health issues, there is absolutley no reason that our mental capacities cannot improve with age. I was over 50 when I graduated from law school , and if I do say so myself, I am better than ever!

paradoxical · 06-09-2009, 07:08 AM

The writing section correlates as well as the rest of the SAT with freshman academic performance --or better, but it's easy to understand why a professional writer got a 10. She omits needless words. .

QuantMech · 06-09-2009, 12:30 PM

I wolud like to point out that I am over fifty, and my cognitive and writing ablities have not been impared by age, in the least.

matok · 06-09-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

I wolud like to point out that I am over fifty, and my cognitive and writing ablities have not been impared by age, in the least.

So they just weren't good in the first place?

t-san · 06-10-2009, 01:11 PM

^ I deeply hope that matok's comment was not to be taken seriously. Otherwise, what you've said was extraordinarily rude and disrespectful. Banter is excusable among people of your own age, but unnecessarily insulting a person old enough to be your parent is highly reprehensible.

QuantMech · 06-10-2009, 01:50 PM

Thanks for leaping to my defense, but I had no problem with matok's post, t-san. Apparently it's only my ability to crack a joke that has been "impared" by age.

vividdream · 06-10-2009, 08:52 PM

1960s teens aren't the only ones who just set alarm clocks.

Kudos to Mrs. Shellenbarger, though. I'm sure that relearning math after being away from it for decades was horribly hard. Luckily I've never had to do that.

bubbaNU · 06-11-2009, 08:52 AM

I’m in my mid 40’s and may be able to complete my bachelor’s degree this year if I can keep my current pace. My mom was kind of an inspiration as she earned her master’s when she was in her 50s. I see that other posters are still working the gray matter like PoetsMom graduating from law school in her 50’s and mousegray is studying a foreign language at 50.

I think it’s great that folks have the drive to keep learning and expanding their abilities at any age. Not sure if I will go for a masters or go back and try to learn Spanish again but I most likely will involve myself with some kind of educational activity in the years to come.

SuperMom_I_Aint · 06-11-2009, 03:40 PM

Wow! I really loved this article. Score one for cool & caring parents who take the time to really listen to, and empathize with their kids!