The article Many Colleges Ignore SAT Writing Test from The Boston Globe discusses the problems that the writing section of the SATs have. Personally, I have a very big problem with the SATs. It is a 4 hour test taken in one block and does not reflect the true knowledge of the test taker. The writing part, a section that would reflect the most personality and knowledge of the test-taker, is now shown to be the most inadequate section of the entire test. Students have 25 minutes to read a quote and write an essay on it. But the essays are not being scored on their validity and reflection knowledgeable writing skills, but instead they are being scored on length. I think it is unfair that this is such a weighted test and viewed as one of the most important things for getting accepted into college. There are so many other aspects of your education career, everything should not fall solely on your SAT scores.
Some students spend thousands of dollars on tutors to do well on these tests which are now showing less and less value and gaining much criticism. Colleges across the board are paying little, if any, attention to the writing part because they believe it is not a good example of knowledgeable writing. What of the student who lacks in math? Where is s/he to pick up the points. If they are planning to be an English major than why should their collegiate future be compromised because of a practically mandatory test which is universally viewed as flawed.
The irony is 56% of roughly 1000 colleges do not take the writing part into consideration during the admission process but, the nations 61 most selective colleges do. The most prestigious colleges are the ones that are taking this flawed interpretation of writing skills into some sort of consideration. This says a lot about the college education system as well as the standardized testing system.
Honestly, I can't believe this goes on. How could this not have been fixed or stopped already? Why are a few people who do not know what the test should really entail creating it? I think the test must be remodeled in order to be fair and show a good reflection of a student's skills. Students should not be trained to write long meaningless essays to be accepted and then have to take another year to learn how to write effectively.
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There were some very interesting points in this blog. I have always had a problem with the SAT's. I feel that they limit students from opportunities that they work so hard to reach. Not everyone is a strong test taker so when it comes to the SAT's students tend to have difficulty. SAT's are a major part of the college admissions process, and it is unfair that a student is judged based on their scores on ONE TEST. It doesn't really reflect the student as a whole. The SAT's may not neccessarily allow college admissions to see strengths of a student. Instead they see their weakness which influences their decision on whether or not to admitt the student.
Everyone has a strength and weakness, and although the SAT's do have different sections that could benefit some of the students, the pressure of the test gets to them. The SAT is made up to be such a big part of the college admissions process that students freeze the day of the test. The pressure to get a high grade and please their parents becomes a big weigh on their shoulders, which ultimately doesn't help them succeed on the test.
It's nice to know that some colleges are ignoring the writing part and not counting it in. However, I feel that unfairity of the SAT's is getting worse and worse, even with all the SAT Prep classes and tutors today, acing the SAT will always be a struggle for many.
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