My name is Cooper Owen and I attend the University of Idaho. I am also in the honors program. When I applied to the University of Idaho I did not need to submit SAT scores. I took the SAT twice thinking maybe it would help me get some scholarships even if I did not need it to get into college. I think these tests are different for everyone. For me I scored a little above the average with an 1170. I worked hard through high school, received 29 dual credits that all transferred, and had a lot of extracurricular activities. I also was a very good test taker. I think the SAT scores show that I work very hard and my hard work in high school and classes I had taken reflect what kind of student I would be.

I also know people who work hard, get really good grades, had a higher GPA than I did, but did not do well on the SAT. I do not think that necessarily reflects their real potential. Some students had better grades than I did and scored a lot lower than I did. I think the entire situation can stress people out having to take such a long test and wondering how it is going to go. Some people are good test takers and some people are not good test takers. So I have mixed feelings on whether SAT’s for college applications reflect students’ real potential.

Also, some students may be really good test takers, but not good at the busy work. I would hope that someone that scores really high on an SAT would also work very hard in all areas of college. But, just because someone scores lower on these tests I do not think they shouldn’t be given the opportunity to attend a certain school. They just may learn a different way or may need to test a different way. They may be just as hard working as a student with a good SAT score. I do feel that the SAT scores were another good addition to my portfolio and did help me get some good scholarships. When people see the grades, gpa’s, dual credits, these exam scores and all the extracurricular activities a student has it makes their portfolio or profile look better. Seeing all these things together reflects someone who will do really well. I also think a student who has all of this and just one lower SAT score doesn’t mean they won’t have real potential. There is a lot more to look at than just one test score.

Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.