by Marcus Brooks

Created on: June 06, 2009   Last Updated: June 14, 2009

This week, the University of Memphis is under investigation by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). It is suspected that one of its basketball players, Derrick Rose, handed in an illegal SAT test prior to being admitted. Apparently, Rose received another student's test score. His former coach, John Calipari is allegedly partly responsible. But, he is now coaching at Kentucky. So if Calipari is responsible for the Rose fiasco, we know two things. Memphis is a national basketball power. Calipari is around $40 million dollars richer and in the clear!

The SAT or the Scholastic Ampitude Test are mandatory exams for all high schoolers. The test is supposed to measure a student's ability in reading, writing and math. Their scores are then calculated. The scores' ranges are necessary to pair students if with a college suitable to meet their needs and challenges. Consider the test as colleges' way of "matchmaking" freshman enrollees.

SAT exams aren't the only college measurement tests taken by high schoolers. The ACT is a required exam for all high schoolers; especially of those in Iowa. A student can take the SAT by it costs over $70 for the procedure.

Scores range from lowest to highest. A 720 can spell community college. However, most students volunteer to retake the exam. The test asks questions over the general subjects. You can study over the general area of an SAT, but no one knows the questions being asked ahead of time. A 1600 S.A.T. is a perfect score. Around 1% of all test takers accomplish this feat. Close to 5% reach the 1260 or higher plateau. It's an extreme rarity to score so high. In some locales, the recipents' names are published in their local paper. That's why Rose's test score sparked so much controversy.

Another Memphis starter, Clifford Dozier is being looked at for the same infraction. His 1260 score has raised suspicions about collegiate athletics. Apparently, he tried passing that score to the University of Georgia. They refused to admit him. His admission to Memphis has also intensified the NCAA probe.

Discussions are being raised if only black, student-athletes are being picked on. The NCAA isn't being racist in their investigations. They are looking at all student-athletes (regardless of color) for breaking NCAA rules. They are looking at the high schools who either pay students to take SAT for their athletes or knowingly doctor their athletes' scores. Cheating is cheating. You're talking about offering a student a

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