Aren't Sat Subject tests unfair to brilliant students?

[tokenadult]

<p>

Percentiles are based on your raw score. Colleges see the raw score as well as the 200-800 score.

</p>

<p>Both statements are incorrect.</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>^^Small nit, but I believe that percentiles are based on *scaled<a href=“or” title=“equated”>/i</a> score, not raw score.</p>

[ThisCouldBeHeavn]

<p>If 700 is in the 11th percentile, it means that almost 90% of test-takers earned over 700. Assuming the scale is similar to other tests, it means that most people get more than 80% on the test, not 11%.</p>

[tokenadult]

<p>Let’s look at the facts together: </p>

<p><a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/sat_subject_tests_percentile_ranks_2008.pdf[/url]”>Higher Education Professionals | College Board;

[Arachnotron]

<p>That’s wrong; they don’t see the raw scores at all, desiking75. It’d defeat the purpose of the scaled score if two 800’s weren’t equal.</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>

I think the reason the scale is so lenient is because all the sons and daughters of the college board officers keep getting 44 and 43 raw scores, so the officers want to keep making the scale enormous to keep their offspring in the 800 range.

</p>

<p>NO! The reason for a broad scale is that it covers a LOT of math, and the math curriculum varies across schools. For example, our HS no longer teaches advanced matrices bcos that topic is not on the State test, but such a problem frequently arises on Math 2. Ditto advanced stats – not taught in our Alg II nor precalc. But the Oct math test, for example, included a question on z-scores, which is great if you are taking AP Stats, but Stats is not a prereq to Math 2.</p>

<p>Now, of course, a student could self-study advanced matrices and stats, but that is not the purpose of Math 2.</p>

<p>

Mathematics Level 2 is a broad survey test intended for students who have taken college-preparatory mathematics for more than three years, including two years of algebra, one year of geometry, and elementary functions (precalculus) and/or trigonometry.
Anticipated Skills</p>

<p>You’re not expected to have studied every topic on the test, but you should anticipate the following:</p>

<pre><code>* Number and Operations

• Algebra and Functions
• Geometry and Measurement (coordinate, three dimensional, and trigonometry)
• Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability

</code></pre>

<p>[Mathematics</a> Level 2 - Geometry, Precalculus, Trigonometry](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools)</p>

[tennisgeek1]

<p>Stupidest thread I’ve ever encountered on CC…</p>