Online SAT is a terrible idea.

parentologist
Thu, 16 Apr 2020 02:56:53 +0000

The college board is desperately trying to save their bacon. Meanwhile, more and more schools are doing what they have to - which is say that the SAT/ACT is optional for the class applying next year.

The rich buy their kids thousands and thousands of dollars of private test preparation, which of course makes a HUGE difference. They’ve had a pervasive and persistent problem with cheating, both overseas and domestically. With an at home test, there is NO WAY that they could prevent cheating - it would be rampant. And since most students take the test for the first time in the spring of their junior year, even if they could have a test ready for September, there would be so many bugs to work out, and such inequality based upon internet access, bandwidth, home computers available, and only one shot at taking the test this way, in fall of senior year, that it would be a useless debacle.

The colleges are casting their votes even as the College Board scrambles to stay relevant. They’re voting to jettison the SAT and ACT.

I told my son, who is in self-isolation with an adult sibling now, outside of my home, to concentrate first on his online schoolwork, then on practicing and lessons for his field of interest, and to put standardized test prep on the back burner, since I think it very unlikely that he will wind up ever taking one.