College Board Refomr: No more subject tests, no more essay, online SAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like students can choose to take essays until June SAT test. What is the point of offering it till then? Is there still a remote advantage to students who choose to take it? My DC is taking May/June SAT and was planning on taking the essay portion. Now not sure what to do.

I doubt it. Not a single school my DD applied to considered the score. We had her take it just in case, some school wanted it. Maybe a parent of an older kid can chime in where it was used previously (maybe some Ivies). Considering you have a junior (I assume), they can’t require it. People always argued that it was too formulaic to really judge writing anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like students can choose to take essays until June SAT test. What is the point of offering it till then? Is there still a remote advantage to students who choose to take it? My DC is taking May/June SAT and was planning on taking the essay portion. Now not sure what to do.

The essay has been ignored by selective colleges for a few years now. No one recommends it.

Frequent occurrence elsewhere on the internet: kids post to ask if they can submit their awesome multiple choice score without their bad essay score, freaking out that the college will see the bad essay score. While the college won't care, it isn't worth the stress. All risk, no reward.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a good move since has seemed in my layperson opinion that sat subject tests are knowledge based so AP tests in similar subjects gets to the same objective.

However, and I ask this as a layperson and clearly as someone who doesn’t have a current senior, I don’t understand how colleges are distinguishing among students without some stabdardized test results. Grades and course rigor aren’t enough, because so many students max out on both. I realize that has happened with SAT, too, but every additional data point is one more possible way to compare prospective students. I especially think the essay portion of the SAT was useful because it was a truly unedited example of the student’s writing - even if it isnt graded by the College Board, it would be useful for submission with applications so that admissions counselors could read. Thoughts on this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a good move since has seemed in my layperson opinion that sat subject tests are knowledge based so AP tests in similar subjects gets to the same objective.

However, and I ask this as a layperson and clearly as someone who doesn’t have a current senior, I don’t understand how colleges are distinguishing among students without some stabdardized test results. Grades and course rigor aren’t enough, because so many students max out on both. I realize that has happened with SAT, too, but every additional data point is one more possible way to compare prospective students. I especially think the essay portion of the SAT was useful because it was a truly unedited example of the student’s writing - even if it isnt graded by the College Board, it would be useful for submission with applications so that admissions counselors could read. Thoughts on this?

Most top tier schools didn't use or care about the essay portion of the SAT so I'm not surprised it will be discontinued. From the admissions perspective, this data point didn't add anything and/or help distinguish between applicants. The College Board is just reacting to the market as a business.

[Anonymous]

Scaling the test back will make it more relevant and the calls for stopping it's use will evaporate in the next year or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get rid of the College Board.

Colleges have figured out how to do admissions with no testing this year, they should do it forever.

I say this with 2 kids who took 10+ AP exams each, one was a National Merit semi finalist and the other a finalist. The CB is a huge money making scam!

Totally agree.

What was the cost of the credits your children paid for their college classes vs the credits they earned through their AP exams? With my AP credits I was almost a sophomore

Many schools no longer accept AP credits. In those schools , they are used for placement only.

In some other schools, they count only toward electives.

So answer the question. Even if it were "just electives" --- how does that price per credit compare?
I just checked the database. 2,000 some schools accept Calc AB and English Comp for credit.
1500 or so accept AP Latin for credit- which I got a 5 in BTW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like students can choose to take essays until June SAT test. What is the point of offering it till then? Is there still a remote advantage to students who choose to take it? My DC is taking May/June SAT and was planning on taking the essay portion. Now not sure what to do.

I doubt it. Not a single school my DD applied to considered the score. We had her take it just in case, some school wanted it. Maybe a parent of an older kid can chime in where it was used previously (maybe some Ivies). Considering you have a junior (I assume), they can’t require it. People always argued that it was too formulaic to really judge writing anyway.

Thank you PPs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looks like students can choose to take essays until June SAT test. What is the point of offering it till then? Is there still a remote advantage to students who choose to take it? My DC is taking May/June SAT and was planning on taking the essay portion. Now not sure what to do.

Same here. Just received the note saying they can choose whether or not to take it. What would be the point now?

[Anonymous]

There was no point even before now. So, nope, just skip it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was no point even before now. So, nope, just skip it.

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