<p>I have to laugh! There are plenty of A kids who don’t break 2200! Many kids don’t do well on standardized tests but are capable and disciplined enough to work their tails off to get an A in class. That’s exactly why admissions officers look at more than just SAT scores. </p>
<p>One of my guys is a slow writer. He actually writes well with interesting (and correct) word choices. However, the time limit on the SAT writing section means he didn’t dazzle. He’s got a great attitude and will do fine in life. None of a) through d) is applicable to him. So, all this SAT stuff needs to be taken with a grain (or spoon) of salt.</p>
<p>All other things being equal, SATs should mirror grades. Of course, there are such things as underperforming schools, grade inflation and test anxiety. In my opinion, though, they should be rather parallel. Feel free to agree or disagree! :)</p>
<p>Drought, I wonder how the colleges I applied to admitted me, the companies I worked for hired and promoted me…when my intelligence was so pathetic! Gimmeabreak!</p>
<p>GPA can measure a lot of things - it depends on how you earn the GPA. Since all schools and courses grade differently, I don’t think you can generalize.</p>
<p>SAT subject tests and AP tests test knowledge.</p>
<p>The SAT reasoning test primarily tests the ability to take the SAT reasoning test. At one point, they used to think it measured intelligence. But even Mensa no longer accepts them as qualifying exams.</p>
<p>Nope, even the college board has abandoned the never-true line that SAT measures intellegence, apptitude or anything other than how well the test-taker takes SAT-type tests.
GPA measures one kid against the others in that school. SAT measures how well a kid does on standardized national tests.</p>
<p>@campbellmom: don’t take it personally. I don’t believe that SAT scores correspond with intelligence while GPA corresponds with effort. But the viewpoint exists, and it may have some merit.</p>
<p>Edit: the standpoint that “the SAT just measures how well you take standardized tests” is bull, and I think most people realize this. Although the correlation isn’t perfect, smart people tend to outperform dumb people on the SAT.</p>
<p>drought, you are right, and that sentance needed editing.<br>
How about “SAT measures how much a kid has been able to learn and how well his or her background/schooling has prepared them for the somewhat narrow parameters of the test” I say this as the parent of kids who did amazingly well on the college board type tests. Yes, they have high IQs but they also have had all the advantages.</p>
<p>D had IQ tested twice…151 at 4 years (for entry into NYC gifted pre-K program) and again after 1st grade (148) for entrance into district’s gifted program. Graduated HS top 5%, 97.8% GPA (weighted–7 AP’s, the rest honors.)</p>
<p>Took SAT 3 times…highest was 2130: 1350: 670, 680, 780.
ACT: 30</p>
<p>Not sure the SAT/ACT ever really measured her potential. Some kids are good test takers, others are not. </p>
<p>I also think her early IQ scores reflected her strong verbal ability and the enrichment she had as a young child. Not to take away form her intelligence, because I do think she is very bright and creative…but many of the top 20 in her class who were also tested after 1st grade, never made it into the gifted program.</p>
<p>As a reading teacher, I see a pattern of test scores that do not really reflect ability begin with young children. Lots of inconsistencies. Assessments are often not really indicative of intelligence or day to day performance.</p>
<p>I just love when kids in my HS(not even high achieving kids, like kids with ranks between 50-150/440) tell me that they only got a 1100/1650 SAT score because they “don’t test well” but their grades are good. </p>
<p>I understand some kids just don’t test well, but I think these scores accurately reflect these kid’s abilities. And they just blame it on the fact its a “standardized test”</p>
Why? I like the SAT because it doesn’t mirror grades. There are tests for that anyways (namely the ACT and the SAT IIs, which I feel ought to be the GPA equalizers, not the SAT). It’s a no-brainer that the SAT isn’t an accurate indicator of college grades; it doesn’t measure diligence, ambition, etc. But it does serve a a general indicator of “smarts,” and if colleges believe that smarter people are generally more successful (remember that ultimately, colleges are looking for the most successful people, not the best students) then it makes sense for them to ask for the SAT (although why they use the ACT I don’t know).</p>
<p>I disagree with SAT/ACT equaling intelligence. My SAT (1830) and ACT (28) were terribly low, yet I was in the Gifted Program in elementary school. I did pretty decent on Math Olympiads as well, and logic problems are the best things ever. =)</p>
<p>This is not a statement of fact, but a matter of considerable debate.</p>
<p>As someone who tutored the SAT test for several years, I can tell you the correlation to intelligence is extremely loose (IMO of course. And Mensa’s). Sure, it helps to be generally intelligent. But many problems on the current math portion can be solved just by being quick on a calculator and plugging in numbers or answers. There are also a lot of tricks you can learn to increase your speed on certain problems, giving you more time to solve the remaining more difficult problems. They have removed the tricky analogy and antonym sections from the CR portion (now only complete the sentence) so you don’t really need to know vocabulary very well.</p>
<p>I think you will usually find the people who really love these tests are people who do well on them. However, I do very well on them and think they are BS. There is no task in life anything like an SAT test.</p>
<p>I have to whole-heartedly second (third? fourth? I’m not sure what number I am in saying this lol) the taking the SAT AND ACT!! My ACT was a 33, SAT didn’t even go above 2000. My SAT was definitely under my GPA and my ACT was at/over my GPA (3.8ish GPA in hs?).</p>
<p>Hey folks - the SAT is a reasoning test, not a test of how well you know the material. Someone with great grades may not have developed the reasoning skills sufficient enough to earn a top SAT score.</p>
<p>I’m also a believer that you CAN increase your SAT score. It takes time and commitment but like anything else, practice makes perfect.</p>
<p>One of my sons raised his score over 170 points so it can be done. I also do not believe the SAT is a measurement of intelligence because my brightest kid did the poorest on the SAT and still gained admission to a non ivy top school. I’m glad they recognized his intelligence and grades even though he did not fall in their middle range for SAT scores…by the way he is graduating with an almost perfect GPA…so much for a correlation between SATs and college success.</p>