Is intelligence testing a useful method of measuring a person's potential for academic achievement? Should colleges and universities base admissions more on SAT and ACT scores or high school grades and activities? What other ways might colleges and universities predict student success?
Intelligence testing
SAT and ACT scores are standardized tests that are designed to measure a student's academic ability. They are relatively objective and can be compared across different students. However, they can be expensive to take, and they do not take into account a student's extracurricular activities or personal qualities.
High school grades and activities are more subjective, but they can provide a more holistic view of a student's academic ability. They can also show how a student has performed in a challenging academic environment. However, they can be biased by factors such as the quality of the school a student attends.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to base admissions more on SAT and ACT scores or high school grades and activities is up to each individual college or university.
Other ways that colleges and universities might predict student success include:
- Interviews: Interviews can give colleges and universities a chance to get to know a student better and assess their personality and motivation.
- Letters of recommendation: Letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, or other mentors can provide colleges and universities with insights into a student's character and academic potential.
- Personal essays: Personal essays can give students a chance to share their story and explain why they want to attend a particular college or university.
- Portfolios: Portfolios can showcase a student's academic work, extracurricular activities, and creative talents.
The best way to predict student success is to use a combination of factors, including intelligence tests, SAT and ACT scores, high school grades and activities, interviews, letters of recommendation, personal essays, and portfolios.
Intelligence testing is a controversial topic in education. Some people believe that it is a useful method of measuring a person's potential for academic achievement, while others believe that it is not a reliable or valid measure of intelligence.
There is some evidence to suggest that intelligence tests can be predictive of academic achievement. For example, a study by the College Board found that SAT scores were correlated with college GPAs. However, it is important to note that correlation does not equal causation. Just because two things are correlated does not mean that one causes the other.
There are many other factors that can affect academic achievement, such as motivation, work ethic, and access to resources. Intelligence tests do not take these factors into account.
As for whether colleges and universities should base admissions more on SAT and ACT scores or high school grades and activities, there is no easy answer. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.