Scholastic Assessment Tests, commonly known as SATs have been an integral part of analyzying one’s intelligence/ level of knowledge. Popular specially among high school and college students, SATs are widely used by universities during application assessments and hence, have been a major milestone for students. Done as an approach to ease up the testing, currently, SAT has turned into a testing standard focused on only Mathematics and English Section. I myself have taken The SAT and I can strongly advocate that this short and minimal test taken in a span of a few hours therefore, does not showcase any students’ full ability real potential.

There is a saying that goes “You cannot judge the potential of a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree”. The current generation have a wide range of diversified talents and skills specifically that is practical and digital. SAT primarily measures a narrow set of academic skills, focusing on just math and literature which does not judge the student’s ability in the other areas the student might expertise in. It also does not reflect any soft skill/talent the student comprise of such as creativity, critical thinking, leadership, or emotional intelligence, which are often crucial for success in college and beyond. The students from a particularly non-English-speaking or minority backgrounds can face challenges to score a similar result than those who come from an English-language community.

Started in 1926, SATs have a history of over a century and with time, the changes have been concurrent. Over the years, SAT’s structure have changed vastly. While changes have been made in the SAT Score Range to Minimal Topics coverage, the resources for SAT preparation have always faced a major discussion as well which is extremely valid. Given the scenario that SAT does not have a specific curriculum and is conducted by a private organization. Hence, the lack of preparation matter and single authority behind may hinder the reliability of the test to some extent. The disparities in access to test preparation resources and coaching can lead to unequal outcomes on the SAT. Students who can afford expensive test prep courses or private tutoring may have an advantage over those who cannot, further skewing the test results and undermining its ability to reflect real potential.

It is also important to consider that different students may perform better on different types of tests. Some students may excel in a more project-based or interactive assessment environment, which the SAT does not provide. Also, some students experience test anxiety, which can significantly impact their performance on standardized tests like the SAT. Anxiety as such with a pressure to score good can hinder their performance on test day. Thus again, the SAT may not accurately capture their true potential compared to alternative assessment methods. This single shot that students usually take also do not reflect the improvement, overall performance in classroom or growth given its quick paper or computer based testing method.

Due to these reasons, many universities have made their applications “SAT-optional” and not compulsory to look forward to a holistic approach of the students’ application. The Concluding, I believe that SAT Score can definitely be a great add-on but providing insights into a student’s academic abilities specializing in just the Mathematics and English field, it does not fully capture their real potential due to its present biases.