It is very common for college applications to need standardized test scores. Most colleges require you to submit your SAT score as part of your application. Which makes it very important to achieve a high score. But what does the SAT mean, and does it really predict college success? The SAT does not test advanced concepts or measure how smart you are, so it is relatively fair. However, a student’s performance on the test depends on many factors. Though higher SAT scores usually indicate higher success rates, the SAT does not reflect potential.

Before we can answer the question of whether the SAT predicts college potential or not, we need to define potential. Many people define potential differently. For some, it is reaching their professional goals; for others, it might be getting good grades or just being involved in college. But most of these are personal goals that are different for each person. So it wouldn’t be fair to use them to predict how well standardized tests work. Schools usually determine potential using the students GPA, grades, extracurriculars, and how long it takes them to graduate.

Many people have studied the correlation between SAT scores and people’s success in and after college, and the results are interesting. In general, the studies found that the higher the SAT scores, the higher the success rates. And this is exaggerated because higher-quality colleges will usually only have high-scoring students. Which means those students have a better chance of succeeding because of high-quality education. But the problem is that these studies don’t take into account how the students got their scores. For example, a student who struggled a lot with academics studied a lot to get a certain score, and another student who was naturally good at academics but didn’t study got the same score. Everyone has different circumstances, and some people can’t afford or study materials aren’t even available to them. Another factor that must be understood is that even when the studies do show a correlation between SAT scores and success rates, the correlation is small. In other words, a student with a high score is only slightly more likely to be successful than a student with a low score. The SAT only shows the end result, not how the students got there.

Though the SAT is not a good indicator of potential, colleges still need to determine students’ potential before they are admitted. Many studies have found that GPA and application essays are better ways to determine students’ potential than the SAT. The reason for this is that GPA is the average grade of hundreds of tests, whereas the SAT is only one test, which makes it much easier to see which students are disciplined and most likely to take their education seriously. College application essays are another great way to help determine students’ potential. It is a good way to get to know the students through their writing and learn about their passions and personalities, as well as see how they will benefit the college community.

All in all, it would not be accurate to say that the SAT can predict students’ true potential. A high SAT score might help students get into some competitive job markets, but it can’t predict how well that student will be in their career. It all boils down to how driven they are. If they work hard, it is way more likely that they will succeed in college and in their career because of their discipline to overcome life’s challenges and temptations.