Earlier quoted context omitted.
To clarify, this announcement is only about the SAT subject tests.
For now.
Given that there may be no SAT or ACT tests administered from March until ????, how will colleges deal with the class of 2021?
MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
271–280 of 465 posts
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#272Earlier quoted context omitted.
> (in addition to your parents' money) That is not true. MIT is need blind which means it doesn't consider financial needs [1]. [1] https://mitadmissions.org/afford/cost-aid-basics/access-affo...
"As for the children of prominent campus donors, [former MIT director of undergraduate admissions] Crowley said a college's development office might reach out to the dean of admissions to say, "Hey, just so you know, Lisa's dad has been very generous to us in the past, or something."
Since one isn't provided this is the top google result containing the quote [1].
The context of the linked article is that Crowley now works for an admission prep company IvyWise and this quote may not directly reference MIT but his broader experience in this more recent role.
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/college-cheating-scanda...
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#273Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry, but I write tests and I have absolutely no idea how you propose to measure these things objectively and automatically, without producing exactly the kind of "convergent" test you said you didn't like. For example, take "decision capacity". I don't even know what you mean by that, and I don't know how this will be assessed automatically without fixing a pre-designed correct answer. Incidentally, the GRE has a s…
For example, take "decision capacity". For that, there's an "inbox test", a set of incoming messages to be dealt with in order. Such tests are widely used to screen candidates for manager jobs.
Wow, I just learned something new. These look legit and well-matched to the actual work. It does seem hard to make a "standard" decision test though, it seems each would have to be tuned to the job it was made for.
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#274I used to think the SATs were fair. Until I found out how much money was being spent on SAT prep. And those expensive prep courses had the potential to increase scores over 100 points. I took the recommended SAT prep course through my high school. It was 2 weekends of going over material that might be on the exam and a workbook recommended by The College Board. Imagine my surprise going to university and meeting stud…
I work for a company that collects aggregated SAT data. I was pretty upset when I discovered there is a very strong, direct correlation between family income and SAT score, with a credible spread of several hundred points between the average scores of the highest and lowest income groups. I knew that there would be a correlation, but seeing how strong it was was pretty depressing.
Just so we're clear: IQ does correlate with income, for obvious reasons.
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#275Anybody cheering the exclusion of some test or other, because it was a pain to study for in high school, is simply not noticing the frog-boiling secondary effects going on. Every bit of emphasis taken out of objective results mean more advantage for smooth talking, photogenic, well-connected people. Yes, some misguided parents waste thousands of dollars on SAT courses. But students can also prep using the $20 officia…
If only we could take the pressure off the need for a prestige college admission to guarantee that you won't suffer for decades...
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
> If your offended by that, what about professors or HS teachers who teach certain sections of the textbook because it's going to be on the exam. Yes, this another big problem caused by (too much emphasis on) standardised testing. I learnt the most in classes that didn't do this. But people do better on tests when they do do this. Standardised tests are destroying our education system.
Surely the standardization matters? Teaching to an aptitude test is clearly counterproductive (and ditto tricks for hacking the test--like just testing each multiple choice answer instead of solving an equation). On the other hand. the AP classes I took in high school (admittedly, a long time ago) seemed pretty reasonable. Perhaps you could quibble with how the syllabus weighted various subjects, or the (mercifully f…
I think it's the testing that's the problem, more so than the standardization (although standardization can definitely be taken too far to the point that it's unhelpful). You can of course have a standardized curriculum without any testing at all. Countries like Finland put far less emphasis on test results, and a lot more emphasis on teacher's assessment of their pupils. It seems like a much healthier system to me.
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#277[deleted]
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#278Oh... this actually makes sense. MIT is still accepting the main SAT test and AP tests.
SAT subject tests were always a weird thing in the middle. AP tests cover the same goal, but with more rigor and differentiation. (I remember taking the SAT subject tests just to "cover my bases", because they were there, not because there seemed to be any real reason.)
Also -- remember, even if your high school doesn't offer AP courses, you can still study for and take the AP tests on your own.
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#279Honestly welcome change. The SAT Subject tests (at least for people around me in HS) were always considered as a much easier test you'd take after the AP for that very same subject. I just equated it to another way for collegeboard to get money especially since the questions were way more straightforward than AP. I am slightly concerned about what this means for schools where AP classes are not offered (I imagine SAT…
You can take the AP test without taking an AP course.
Yep! But there are a few more barriers in the way if your school does not offer AP courses (you'd need to find neighboring schools that do allow it and talk to the AP coordinator at that school).
For subject tests, there are pretty minimal barriers associated with signing up. You just register as you normally would for an SAT exam IIRC.
Re: MIT to no longer consider SAT subject tests in admissions decisions
#280I am always wary of universities removing testing requirements as they are usually motivated by activist pressure (vilifying meritocracy and pushing for equity, AKA equality of outcomes) rather than evaluating for the best talent more precisely. Anyone know more about what the story is behind this one?