SAT Follows the ACT in Score Reporting

I knew that it was only a matter of time until College Board changed its policy on score reporting to allow students to hide SAT scores. CB has long been criticized for its score reporting policies--and many educators have argued that ACT's reporting policy is superior. In an earlier Blog post, I argued otherwise. But we all knew it was just a matter of time.

Is this new policy good for students? The answer is Yes and No.

Yes, because it has the potential to reduce stress associated with the SAT. Students can take the SAT as many times as they want without the added stress of knowing that every score will show up on their official report. I'm all for students experiencing lower levels of stress.

Unfortunately, I think the negatives of CB's new policy will far outweigh the possible reduction in stress. First, this policy gives yet another advantage to students who can afford to take the test 4, 5, and maybe even 6 times. We already have a major problem with the correlation between socioeconomic status and SAT scores. I hope this policy change doesn't escalate the standardized testing dilemma. Second, I could see this policy change encouraging students to take the test without proper training because they can always take in again. This would just lead to more wasted time--and more parents arguing that their child takes too many tests.

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