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MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

mitadmissions.org

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Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#21

Post by whack »

On the one hand, it is ridiculous that one of the main metrics used in admissions is a glorified IQ test. On the other hand, it is ridiculous that we don't have a single commonly used standardized-exam that evaluates proficiency and expertise in the core curriculum.

I know America has a serious NIH syndrome, but the situation could be improved overnight if every single public school adopted the GCSE/A levels or IB curriculum and exams.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCE_Advanced_Level_(United_Kin...

https://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#22

Post by refraincomment »

Google234 wrote: post #6

This will definitely help make it easier for admissions to discriminate against Asian students.

We can compare the audience of an flamewar post about racism in US, vs the readership of a paper on fixed point theorems, and it makes sense that organizations that don't care about science like US universities choose to favor the former.

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#23

Post by austincheney »

So many university recruiters at that level just suggest a minimum application criteria after which a lottery is applied to select acceptable applicants. A truly randomized lottery would ensure no bias in student selection.

If you have, let’s say, 3000 open positions and 15,000 applications of which all are academically qualified does it really matter who they pick for admission? It’s not like there is going to be any real world performance difference between candidate 1200 and 12000 if they are valedictorians with 4.0 GPAs.

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#24

Post by [deleted] »

chrisseaton wrote: post #2

Seems like at the moment high-school students in the US have to do two sets of exams - their normal high-school graduation exams, and also the SAT or ACT. Is that right? Why don't they use the results from one for the other? Use SAT for high-school graduation, or use high-school graduation results for university admission.

[deleted]

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#25

Post by [deleted] »

chrisseaton wrote: post #2

Seems like at the moment high-school students in the US have to do two sets of exams - their normal high-school graduation exams, and also the SAT or ACT. Is that right? Why don't they use the results from one for the other? Use SAT for high-school graduation, or use high-school graduation results for university admission.

[deleted]

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#26

Post by mattnewton »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #14
mattnewton wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

High schools typically do not have graduation exams in the sense that there are standard exams that are required for your degree. It depends on the state; some states may have standardized tests, some may have much looser requirements. The standards for graduation across schools are massively different and the SAT/ACT is a private “solution” to the problem of measuring students across regions, for college admissions.

> High schools typically do not have graduation exams in the sense that there are standard exams that are required for your degree. Nor do other schools...?

US high schools that is. There are definitely countries that require an exam score for a diploma and some fields where you have to pass a test to get your degree.

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#28

Post by [deleted] »

chrisseaton wrote: post #2

Seems like at the moment high-school students in the US have to do two sets of exams - their normal high-school graduation exams, and also the SAT or ACT. Is that right? Why don't they use the results from one for the other? Use SAT for high-school graduation, or use high-school graduation results for university admission.

[deleted]

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#29

Post by thaumasiotes »

whack wrote: post #21

On the one hand, it is ridiculous that one of the main metrics used in admissions is a glorified IQ test. On the other hand, it is ridiculous that we don't have a single commonly used standardized-exam that evaluates proficiency and expertise in the core curriculum. I know America has a serious NIH syndrome, but the situation could be improved overnight if every single public school adopted the GCSE/A levels or IB cu…

> On the one hand, it is ridiculous that one of the main metrics used in admissions is a glorified IQ test. On the other hand, it is ridiculous that we don't have a single commonly used standardized-exam that evaluates proficiency and expertise in the core curriculum.

You don't like the use of an IQ test in school admissions, and you want to establish an IQ test instead?

Re: MIT suspending SAT/ACT requirement for next application cycle

#30

Post by chrisseaton »

__palo_alto__ wrote: post #7
chrisseaton wrote: post #2

Seems like at the moment high-school students in the US have to do two sets of exams - their normal high-school graduation exams, and also the SAT or ACT. Is that right? Why don't they use the results from one for the other? Use SAT for high-school graduation, or use high-school graduation results for university admission.

Most high schools in the US don't have graduation exams. Even for ones that do, there's no standardized high school graduation exam nationwide.

> Most high schools in the US don't have graduation exams.

So how do people fail to graduate high-school?

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