Changes

Jump to navigation Jump to search
reply to 3 points ... The most plausible explanation for the declining SAT scores is the also the most straightforward: people are getting dumber.
Line 319: Line 319:  
::::Furthermore, if the SAT were an accurate measure of intelligence and scores were dropping, a number of baseless assumptions would still be being made: Namely, that the people taking the SAT are the same in make-up and number every year. This is not the case. Unfortunately, despite the increasing information that the SAT is a useless examination, more and more students every year are taking it. What that means, however, is that if test scores are indeed going down, we cannot assume that it is indicative of dropping intelligence because every year the makeup of the students is changing. I'll put it more simply: It used to be that only the best students took the SAT, because only the best students went to college and only the best students went to colleges that required high SAT scores for applications. As the national attitude towards secondary education becomes that EVERYBODY needs to go to college, more states have begun requiring SAT testing for students. Thus, not just the best students are taking the SAT - but everyone is, including less intelligent students that otherwise would not take the test. So of course test scores are going to drop. If you were a teacher, and could select the top three students in your class to take a test, and have those test scores reflect your entire class, wouldn't you do that? Of course. Because those students would do well (hopefully), and make your class look intelligent. If, however, your entire class - including the struggling students - had to take the test, the score would not compare well with the test score of the three students. Yes? It's the same thing here.  
 
::::Furthermore, if the SAT were an accurate measure of intelligence and scores were dropping, a number of baseless assumptions would still be being made: Namely, that the people taking the SAT are the same in make-up and number every year. This is not the case. Unfortunately, despite the increasing information that the SAT is a useless examination, more and more students every year are taking it. What that means, however, is that if test scores are indeed going down, we cannot assume that it is indicative of dropping intelligence because every year the makeup of the students is changing. I'll put it more simply: It used to be that only the best students took the SAT, because only the best students went to college and only the best students went to colleges that required high SAT scores for applications. As the national attitude towards secondary education becomes that EVERYBODY needs to go to college, more states have begun requiring SAT testing for students. Thus, not just the best students are taking the SAT - but everyone is, including less intelligent students that otherwise would not take the test. So of course test scores are going to drop. If you were a teacher, and could select the top three students in your class to take a test, and have those test scores reflect your entire class, wouldn't you do that? Of course. Because those students would do well (hopefully), and make your class look intelligent. If, however, your entire class - including the struggling students - had to take the test, the score would not compare well with the test score of the three students. Yes? It's the same thing here.  
 
::::And lastly, you should be aware that the SAT is not the same test every year. It is consistently made more or less difficult in the name of 'raising standards.' That is, when scores get too high, test-makers don't assume that people are getting more intelligent, they assume that the test was too easy, and make it harder. Thus, you see a test today that is far more difficult than it was even a decade ago. Again, for all of this citations are easily found online, but I can provide if that is desired. I would suggest removing the statement about declining human intelligence, as it is not backed up by the evidence presented, and CERTAINLY not backed up by the SAT statement. [[User:Jpope1487|Jpope1487]] 13:39, 19 June 2011 (EDT)
 
::::And lastly, you should be aware that the SAT is not the same test every year. It is consistently made more or less difficult in the name of 'raising standards.' That is, when scores get too high, test-makers don't assume that people are getting more intelligent, they assume that the test was too easy, and make it harder. Thus, you see a test today that is far more difficult than it was even a decade ago. Again, for all of this citations are easily found online, but I can provide if that is desired. I would suggest removing the statement about declining human intelligence, as it is not backed up by the evidence presented, and CERTAINLY not backed up by the SAT statement. [[User:Jpope1487|Jpope1487]] 13:39, 19 June 2011 (EDT)
 +
 +
::::: Point 1 (your claim that the SAT measures only test-taking skills, and nothing more) is rejected by the vast majority of colleges and scholars and even the NCAA -- as well as common sense.  Scores on the test clearly have some correlation with "aptitude", which was the historical purpose of the exam.  [[Political correctness]] in changing the name of the test does not change the truth.  Individual SAT scores may mean less than averages over many students.
 +
 +
::::: Point II (bigger numbers of people are taking the SAT, which lowers its average) would only be valid if backed up by data, and I doubt there has been any increase in takers of the SAT big enough to account for the decline in scores.
 +
 +
::::: Point III: The writers of the SAT are not making it more difficult.  If anything, they are making it easier.
 +
 +
::::: The most plausible explanation for the declining SAT scores is the also the most straightforward:  people are getting dumber.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 18:12, 19 June 2011 (EDT)
    
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
Anthony, Irenaeus, Siteadmin, Bureaucrats, Check users, nsAm_Govt_101RO, nsAm_Govt_101RW, nsAm_Govt_101_ta, nsJudgesRO, nsJudgesRW, nsJudges_talkRO, nsJudges_talkRW, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, oversight, Administrators
125,900

edits

Navigation menu