How would you feel if you gave up Saturdays and after school time at an SAT prep course for which your parents spent thousands of dollars only to find out that you earned the same score as the last time you took the test?
According to the College Board, the SAT is “a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms.”
I have both friends and relatives who have faced the same frustrating situation. In spite of extra SAT preparation, scores remain unchanged.
After attending classes, studying hard and practicing every week, they get their test scores back only to find out they haven’t improved. According to “The Story Behind the SAT Overhaul,” an article in the New York Times Magazine, “though there’s a debate about how helpful test prep is, much research shows increases of an average of only 30 points.”
Students are already overwhelmed with schoolwork and extracurriculars. And now, the growing fashion of SAT preparation classes is unnecessarily adding to this culture of pressure and anxiety.
Furthermore, this marginally fruitful SAT preparation craze undermines the idea of an even playing field.
We overlook the fact that in our area families are privileged to have the money to afford prep classes. We take it for granted that students receive a better opportunity to perform well on the SAT.
Less fortunate students do not receive the support so many in the Lamorinda area enjoy.
The Kaplan test prep program costs $700 for an 18 hour course, an average of almost $40 an hour. Although there are some scholarships provided for students, applying requires extra time, and not everyone is afforded the assistance.
The fact is, allowing SAT preparation to some students provides them with an unfair advantage. The College Board should outlaw formal SAT preparation programs. This would make the playing field more equitable, and address the rising epidemic of academic anxiety and student stress.
Students have so many other commitments and activities; I think preparing for the SAT, a test that is supposed to assess aptitude rather than content knowledge, by enrolling in a professional program for the sake of gaining an advantage, exemplifies the hypocrisy in American education.
On March 5, the College Board announced a new change in the SAT format. Starting in 2016, the essay portion of the test will be optional, the vocabulary will be modified, and students will not be penalized for guessing. This new implementation is evidence that even those who have created the test understand there is a problem.
Obviously, it is not likely that SAT prep classes will be banned any time soon. SAT prep classes are a huge industry and provide many adults with employment in addition to the minuscule improvements on the actual test it affords to some students.
None of this however, justifies the damage this growing culture of academic achievement at all cost is inflicting on the health of students and the integrity of society.
Students should at least be limited in the amount of time they are allowed to spend in these formal SAT preparation courses.