Some Colleges Not Requiring New SAT

With all the fuss about the new SAT, juniors and seniors might be happy to hear certain colleges across the nation are disregarding the scores completely.

The SATs have been an essential requirement for college-bound students and a major component in how an institution selects its undergraduates. As a result, many may wonder why schools have begun to oppose the exam.

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing is a non-profit organization whose mission is to diminish flaws and ensure the quality of standardized tests.

According to this institution, the SATs show signs of prejudice against women, older students, and students whose native language isn't English.

Drew University President Robert Weisbuch told the Associated Press, "We're making SAT scores optional because we believe this action will help the school increase its selectivity, improve diversity, and enhance overall student quality."

About 700 colleges and universities have already chosen to practice this nationwide, specifically those that provide bachelor's degrees.

Colleges in the Delaware Valley, such as Thomas Edison College, Mulenberg College, and Pierce College, are among the schools which are making the SAT an option rather than a requirement.

Despite the removal of SAT scores from several college admissions requirements, many schools have been dissatisfied with the SAT exam itself, for years.

Before the final changes made in 2005, several colleges had limited their usage of the test in determining an undergrad's acceptance because the test lacked a writing section.

Research released in 2001 showed that a writing sample, if included, would help better predict a student's chance at college success. As a result, the new SAT, which now included a writing section, began being used in 2005.

The writing section takes up one half hour of the exam, although it is the first section students complete.

It is recommended that students use all the time to their advantage, as they only have this much time to fill two pages. Therefore it is essential to spend more of this time writing, than thinking about what to write, which is often a difficult task for many.

Although many schools feel the writing section was much needed, several colleges have announced that they plan on focusing on just the Math and English scores.

However, other sources state that schools will still look at a student's overall scores, which includes the written essay.

In this way, the graduating classes of the following years should still try their hardest on this section, even if the essay is just being used experimentally.

In addition, it is still recommended that students take the SAT period, despite the fact that several colleges and universities are phasing the test out.

Good scores still look good on a record, whether they are counted or not.