By Thomas Chung

Copy Editor

  In the wake of the recent scandal where thousands of wealthy parents were indicted for illegally having someone else take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for their children among other crimes, many have called into question the validity of using the SAT for college admissions. While the SAT is imperfect in uncontrollable ways, it should not be completely erased as a factor for admission into college.

  The SAT is a standardized test which is divided into several sections that assess reading, writing, and mathematical skills and it is used by undergraduate admission officers to assess prospective students. While there are colleges that use “test-optional” or “text-flexible” policies that de-emphasize the SAT in admissions, it is clear that the SAT is weighed as an important factor by the majority of accredited institutions in the United States.

  The practice of using the SAT as a factor can be flawed because illegally paying someone to take a standardized test for one’s child is not the only way that someone can gain an advantage. Those with wealth can legally enroll their children in a variety of test preparation courses and can send their children to private schools that solely focus on preparation for tests like the SAT. There simply is not a planned success framework for low-income students, who do not have test preparation class in public school and need to rely on themselves to obtain free test preparation material.

   “We should be alarmed at the discrepancy in scores between different socioeconomic and ethnic groups — and what this means for both our schools and the fairness of these tests,” wrote Dr. Kristin Fracchia for Magoosh, an online test preparation company based in Berkeley.

   Unfortunately, the imperfections of the SAT stem from economic inequality and the racial wealth gap, grandiose problems that can not be fixed by just eliminating the SAT from college admissions. Nevertheless, considering the SAT can serve colleges well.

  Research conducted by psychology professors Meredith C. Frey of Otterbein University and Douglas K. Detterman of Case Western Reserve University show that there is a correlation of 0.82 between g, general intelligence, and SAT scores. This means that the SAT is a good predictor of intelligence, and that colleges wishing to admit objectively book smart students can do so by evaluating a SAT score.

 Unless there is an overhaul of the United States’ economic system, the problems surrounding the SAT will still be here. Colleges should continue weighing factors like socioeconomic status and ethnicity, in addition to the SAT for admission, so that equity can be achieved. Students who are not strong at standardized testing should pursue extracurricular passions or focus on keeping a high grade point average.

“The SAT [is flawed], but it is also relatively objective and, among other virtues, sometimes provides a way for the bright, yet socially inept students to be recognized,” wrote Temple University mathematics professor John Allen Paul for ABC News.

  The SAT should not be completely eliminated from admissions, instead admission officers should continue utilizing holistic review, a system that takes into consideration factors like leadership, character, accomplishments, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity, to create an equitable playing field for all students.