As a freshman, I’m already hearing a lot about the SAT and its role in getting into college. For some reason, this standardized test still seems to be seen as one of the biggest hurdles for anyone trying to get into a good college. But after hearing so much about it and learning about its flaws, I can’t help but wonder, why are we still putting so much weight on a test that doesnt even show a student’s full potential.
First of all, the SAT doesn’t measure all the important skills that help students succeed in college. Sure, it tests things like reading, math, and writing. But what about creativity, leadership,problem solving, and the ability to work with others, things that are actually important in real life? College is about more than just memorizing formulas or taking multiple choice tests, yet that’s all the SAT seems to care about. The test is just a snapshot of a student’s ability to perform on a single day, not a reflection of the hard work and growth that happens over years of school.
Additionally, the SAT doesn’t predict success in college very well. Studies show that a student’s high school GPA is a much better indicator of how well they’ll do in college than their SAT score. GPA shows how consistent a student is over time, how much effort they can handle the challenges of a college workload. The SAT, on the other hand, is just a snapshot of how well you can do on a specific day under a lot of pressure, which doesn’t seem like a great way to judge someone’s potential.
Luckily, some colleges are starting to realize this, and many have gone test-optional or completely test-blind, meaning they don’t even look at SAT scores. These schools understand that there’s more to a student than just a test score, and they are looking at other aspects, like essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation, to get a fuller picture of who a student is. This kind of holistic approach is way better than judging someone based on a test that only shows part of the story.
In the end, the SAT doesn’t give a true sense of a student’s potential or capabilities. It’s a barrier, not a tool, and it creates unnecessary stress and unfairness for so many students. It’s time to rethink how we approach college admissions and stop relying on a test that doesn’t actually measure the skills that matter most in college and in life. As a freshman, I hope that by the time I’m applying to college, we’ll have moved past the SAT and toward a more inclusive and fair system.
