I think this is why many top schools are now saying that they do see value in the test and finding the are struggling to assess preparedness without it. The test is good at indicating if the fundamentals are strong. College doesn’t need you to know calculus, they need to know if the building blocks are there for them to work with.
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There’s nothing difficult in the tests. It’s all very basic questions. It’s just time pressure.
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imo, the only meaningful difference wealth makes is the fact that some people may not have access to diagnoses like me, and therefore can’t get accommodations they need. However, I think that’s a pretty small amount of people.
Wealth allows you to go up going to museums. It allows you time to read for fun. It allows you to pursue extra curricular’s you love instead of working because you need food. It allows you to choose to live in a neighborhood with great schools. There are endless advantages brought by wealth.
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That’s what I am saying. It’s not difficult. Fundamental knowledge the you NEED to move on to more advanced topics.
Based on what some AOs at selective colleges have said recently, it appears that post-COVID there is now a heightened concern about some kids having apparently great grades but still not having that sort of expected basic foundation. These tests might not be ideal, but they may be the only standardized tool available in many cases.
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So many unknowns in the process. Speculating only feeds the anxiety. I wish everyone the best and peace during these next few days.
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I mean in terms of standardized testing. Yes, wealth can and does impact the overall application. There are so many free resources online to learn foundations if you don’t go to a good school. I was out of school for 8 months and still managed to get good grades and get mastery on NYS regents in classes I didn’t even take. Someone academically qualified should still have the foundations that SAT/ACT test, regardless of wealth.
Exactly. Why is it only test scores people are beating up on.
Wealthy kids with tutors do better in math, and English, and honors, and APs
Wealthy kids get private tennis coaches which maybe gets them recruited to play tennis at Harvard.
Wealth is an advantage. Period.
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if i am a national level swimmer (international applicant) but was not recruited, do you think it will be an advantage to my application?
Any activity you truly dedicate yourself to, and that was truly meaningful to you, can be helpful. Whether or not you swim in college, they want to know you will be a contributor to one or more of the many activities they value. And people who have done something like that before are more likely to do it again, even if it is actually a different activity.
Indeed, I did a long list of things in HS, and then my main college activity was none of those things. This is a common story, but kids who like to be active and like to challenge themselves will find ways to do it again in college.
Wealth especially matters in standardized testing. It is the reason why the California schools no longer require it. In their analysis, wealth (by zip code) showed the highest correlation to better test scores. Not having to work after school or on Saturday mornings, having a quiet home to study in, not going to sleep on an empty stomach, having access to online resources at home, etc, etc. Not having these privileges is much more common than you think.
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I know that it isn’t common to be “wealthy.” I’m not saying it’s easy, I’m saying that it’s possible to do well on standardized testing regardless of wealth. These tests are meant to measure potential, not achievement. Not being wealthy can explain someone having low scores, but where is the line between “didn’t have enough resources” and “not academically or intellectually qualified.” Just something to think about.
There are plenty of kids without paid resources that get 34+ on the ACT.
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And those privileges don’t help with grades in academic subjects? So why shouldn’t we ditch GPA along with test scores?
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Yes. Exactly. And those kids are being compared to kids with huge resources who get enough tutoring and take the test enough times to get to that 34. How is that fair? What does that even mean in terms of potential?
Many of the other things on a college app are affected FAR more by wealth than test scores. (CA schools are not a good example FYI - have you researched the whole story behind the decision - it is a fascinating tale of ignoring experts?) But as @lilyesh has already mentioned, this is probably not the thread for an anti-score rant.
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Nobody “likes” standardized tests, because they’re not perfect. I think people are just trying to find the best way to properly asses applications.
We can’t simply not allow parents to do what they can for their children. Is it fair? maybe not. But life isn’t fair and people do the best they can.
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Please move on from the standardized testing debate. Further posts will be deleted without comment.
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But they are not. AOs are very good at applying context to their review. There are plenty of low score prep school kids applying TO.
Cmon guys! Leave the stupid arguement. We are a capitalist society and we should all believe in meritocracy and fairness without discrimination. perioid.
Moving on, can anyone tell me if I haven’t recieved an email from my counsellor regarding admission results but my friends’ counsellor did on the 20th nov regarding the ED decision date (12/8)