Student Perspective Here:
I’m very torn on the issue and I think there’s a lot to be said for both sides. My experience here is definitely an anomaly and shouldn’t be looked at as any rule. I’ve already made a post similar to this on another thread, but it seems fitting to put on this too.
My Story:
On my first PSAT in 10th grade I got an 1160 then in 11th grade I got a 1250 on the PSAT. I took a course (signed myself up, obviously my parents paid but it’s not like they were recommending I do a course). I think I really just needed a weekly structure to do practice problems and hold me accountable (I know, I won’t be able to pay $700 in the future just because I need someone to look over my shoulder and tell me what to do). From January to March 2020 I spent I think 3 hours every Sunday doing practice questions at Northeastern (Princeton Review) for the course and did homework prep (I’d say like an hour) every week before the course itself. My course was designed for you to take the test the 14th of March. Friday before the test we decided to check out the school to ease any test day stresses and the person at the desk told us they just cancelled it, called the college board and was on hold for hours until I finally got through and they announced it was cancelled.
Rescheduled for August. Took some practice tests before and did khan academy for about 3 weeks and got my highest scores yet, but it was cancelled. Figured after that I would have to go test-optional for Early schools then my school announced they’d be holding an SAT in early October, so I did khan academy prep for a few weeks again. Decided to take another one in December and I got it. All in all I took 2 test, having had 2 cancelled
My Takeaways:
I was able to go 2/4 on tests, but I only got to submit my scores to early schools because my high school broke pandemic rules and held a test against the districts recommendation, and I can’t help but imagine that I was able to take my December test because I live in a big city with a lot of high schools. And hard work aside, I wouldn’t have been able to raise my score as drastically if my parents couldn’t put in that $700.
I have a friend who bought a $10 test book and studied on his own with his khan academy and got a higher score than me.
I come at this from a place of privilege but I’m of the mindset that tests are important. I think, as the only truly standardized part of our application, they should be looked at (obviously this year’s an exception since some couldn’t get a fall test). I think the most helpful thing that came with practice was getting over the time crunch. That is to say, if the time limits were lightened, I’d imagine people would do a lot better without needing to put in any money to study.
The biggest problem is by far early childhood education. I’m not gonna get on my soapbox here but removing the SAT permanently would be a bandaid on a bullet wound. I think as it stands, anyone applying to Harvard has the time to buy a $10 prep book and study on Khan Academy. I think among the people that actually stand a chance to get into T5s, removing the test won’t drastically allow social mobility. The real problem is all the kids who, from the day they were born, stood 0 chance at getting into a T50.