In 1926, high school students took the SAT– or Scholastic Aptitude Test– for the first time. In 1957, over half a million students were taking the SAT annually. The 134-minute test, containing two 32-minute reading and writing modules and two 35-minute math modules, has a maximum score of 1600.
This test has historically served as a factor in college admissions to measure academic capability, with over 2 million students taking the SAT in 2018. Between transcripts, personal statements, teacher recommendations and extracurriculars, the SAT was simply another way to assess an applicant’s compatibility with a university.
However, what started purely as a standardized test became a nationwide rush among high school students to score a perfect 1600. SAT tutors, practice books and online programs skyrocketed in popularity as teens began taking the test two or even three times. A research paper by Ezekiel Dixon-Roman from the University of Pennsylvania and John Mcardle from the University of Southern California found that wealth played a role in SAT score differences. Children from wealthier families may have scored higher due to their ability to pay for tutoring sessions, the $68 registration fee and other testing resources.
Fast-forward to the COVID-19 pandemic: some universities began implementing ‘‘test-optional’’ policies, and the University of California school system stopped considering standardized test scores altogether. Cornell University and Harvard University reassured students that they would not be disadvantaged if they did not submit test scores. This mass switch occurred at small liberal arts institutions, such as Williams College and Amherst College in Massachusetts, and larger universities– like Tulane University in New Orleans. Soon, many colleges and universities were adopting ‘‘test-optional’’ as the new way forward.
In March of 2024, four years after the COVID-19 pandemic, highly selective institutions began reinstating standardized testing requirements; “The University of Texas at Austin joined MIT, Dartmouth, Yale and Brown” in this decision. According to Forbes, “SAT scores predict first-year college grades and they help admissions officers evaluate a student in context.”
The question now facing Oak Park High School students is: ‘‘Should I take the SAT?’’ Since standardized test scores only make up a portion of a student’s college application, this decision varies by applicant. Although high test scores are prided among teens, a single number does not determine one’s fate in the college admissions process.
