<p>Actually, I am a duel-enrollment high school senior. I am taking freshman-level physics & calculus.</p>
<p>“Work, participation, ability to read, ability to talk to your peers and professors…that’s really what you need to know.”</p>
<p>I’m not saying that those other traits aren’t important (it’s because of them that I’ve become very involved with the physics department at my CC)… but then again, test taking IS an important skill. It’s one of the ways that you demonstrate a grasp for knowledge. I imagine that you got into college because you demonstrated an ability to test well, AND showed the other qualities you listed through, for example, essays.</p>
<p>By the way, I’m no fan of the SAT myself, and I think the College Board should put more emphasis on the fact that the SAT - for many people - absolutely has to be studied for, just like any other test. Also, as you point out, the scope of the SAT is quite limited. In fact, some of the most intelligent & otherwise astonishing people I know (one of whom is at a HYPS now) have SAT scores which would make most CCers gasp (I’m talking sub-700, sub-600, even sub-500). Then there are also limitations inherent to the scantron format; every professor I’ve encountered will give significant partial credit on exams if the student demonstrates understanding, even if the answer is wrong.</p>