Why do people keep saying SAT curve is determine before the test?

BigIs
Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:55:51 +0000

One more time:

The questions used on the exam a pretested, providing a difficulty level for each question.

The test is then assembled to a specific average difficulty equivalent to other tests. This is referred to by the un-initiated as “curved in advance”

After the test is given, it is equated, which adjusts for the actual difficulty of the current test compared to previous tests. This is what some people call “curved after the exam.”

The test is never “curved.” To “curve” a test statistically is very different from what most people think or want to happen to their tests.

All the adjustments will hopefully mean that any individual student will have an equal chance of achieving the same scaled score range no matter which test they take and how strong or weak the students are who take the test at the same time.

The fact that a 700 means the same thing no matter which test you take, and students who take the test this year can be compared to previous years, is what is meant by “standardized”

Unless the testing program has can convince the colleges that the scoring is consistent, accurate and fair the colleges won’t use it at part of their admissions package.