The alarm goes off at 6:00am, and I am immediately reminded that it is SAT day. Again. Living in a rural community, it is not an easy accomplishment to take the SAT. And yet, I have done it three times and will do it again in May with the goal of achieving a higher score in order to receive additional scholarships through my chosen college. For me, the closest SAT testing location is nearly an hour away at a rural high school where I do not attend school. But three times I have woken up early, made the trip, and sat in a classroom with other nervous students trying to prove my potential through a standardized test. But the reality is, I am more than a test score.

I currently have an SAT score of 1300, and I am proud of that accomplishment. However, I do not believe the SAT reflects my potential or the potential of any future college student. Each of us is an individual with unique skills and talents. We are each more than a number or score on a standardized test. Although I believe the SAT has value and is a good indicator of academic success in particular subjects, it is too limited to truly reflect one’s potential.

Although I think my SAT score is good, it does not reflect who I am as a person and my potential for success in college and after. It does not reflect my love of animals which drives my desire to be a rural veterinarian. It does not reflect the time I commit to volunteering in my community, and nowhere on the SAT is there a place to indicate the hard work I do on my family’s rural property performing fire mitigation duties as well as helping out in the family garden which feeds us through the summer months.

So many students have unique talents and abilities such as art and athletics. Sadly, the incredible potential these students have to be successful in these areas is not reflected by the SAT. Nonetheless, colleges and scholarship committees want to see good SAT scores, so myself and tens of thousands of high school students across the country will continue to wake up early and spend three hours trying to prove themselves through a test. But regardless of our score on a test, we are all unique individuals. We are all more than a test score.

Thank you for your consideration.