Re:Reinstating our SAT/ACT requirement for future admissions...
by nkrisc on Monday March 28, 2022 @03:03PM
(#30834274)
Just an interesting anecdote on the predictive power of standardized tests:
When I took the ACT in 2006, I scored around a 24 or 26 for composite score. Not very good. I didn't prep nor study for it because I was pretty apathetic about school and did my best to coast on whatever natural talent I could muster. Since my score wasn't very good, I retook it several weeks later. About halfway through I realized I was given the exact same question set as the first time I took it. I had of course not studied nor prepped for the second time, being the apathetic teenager I was. However this time I score around 32 or 34 or so. I don't remember exactly.
What was different? Why did my score go up about 8 points? Better mood that day? Which score was the "real" one that best represented my abilities?
Did I eat a better breakfast beforehand? I recognized some of the questions but of course I never expected to see the same questions a second time so I didn't prep for that. I didn't prep for anything about it.
I wonder how many kid's college admissions results are ultimately because of one bad or good day? I suppose the other lesson is if you get a bad score, try again. You only need one good score.
When I took the ACT in 2006, I scored around a 24 or 26 for composite score. Not very good. I didn't prep nor study for it because I was pretty apathetic about school and did my best to coast on whatever natural talent I could muster. Since my score wasn't very good, I retook it several weeks later. About halfway through I realized I was given the exact same question set as the first time I took it. I had of course not studied nor prepped for the second time, being the apathetic teenager I was. However this time I score around 32 or 34 or so. I don't remember exactly.
What was different? Why did my score go up about 8 points? Better mood that day? Which score was the "real" one that best represented my abilities?
Did I eat a better breakfast beforehand? I recognized some of the questions but of course I never expected to see the same questions a second time so I didn't prep for that. I didn't prep for anything about it.
I wonder how many kid's college admissions results are ultimately because of one bad or good day? I suppose the other lesson is if you get a bad score, try again. You only need one good score.