According to an article that appeared on the website of The Daily Californian, a group of protesters marched through campus demanding the elimination of the SAT as factor in UC Berkeley’s admission process. The protesters claim that the test discrimiates against minority students, making it more difficult for them to compete for admission spots.
Whether the SAT really does discriminate against minority and/or low-income students, I am not sure. (I hope it doesn’t.)
Whether the SAT really does add nothing to the admission process at UC Berkeley, again, I am not sure.
There are, however, a few things of which I am certain:
1. The SAT does test mastery of subject areas (math, reading, and writing) that are critical for success in college and life beyond;
2. Success on the SAT requires the kind of problem solving and critical thinking skills that are generally rewarded in the real world; and
3. Public dialogue in generally a good thing. (That’s why I decided to share the article.)