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First, let's look at what the SAT is designed to measure. An aptitude test as defined in the dictionary, is supposed to measure or predict a person's ability to learn certain skills. It does not measure intelligence, real-world skills or abilities, and most importantly it can't measure any important personal information about a student applying for admission to college. Of course, who said that the SAT is around to measure anything but aptitude?

The only thing that standardized tests prove is how well the test-taker can take tests. If colleges want to see an individual's ability to learn something, why aren't they simply looking at grades? Or more importantly, what classes were taken throughout the student's high school career? Classes are what students take all through high school, and granted that tests are taken in those classes, wouldn't a student's ability to learn be better measured by simply reviewing the transcripts.

The real problem with the SAT is that it can't measure a person's true intelligence. I knew several people in high school who weren't the smartest, but scored well enough on the SAT to get into most of the well-respected colleges in our nation. And there were those who were very intelligent, but had to take it several times because their scores were not the best the first time around.

Never having taken the SAT myself I can only see the results, which are that I still got into a University via community college (which saves so much money) and I saved myself the stress of trying to score high enough on the SAT.

So really what's the use of the SAT? I have no personal experience to see its benefits or uses in measuring anything of relevance. Really, the SAT is designed for people whose evaluation skills are limited to a quantified test. Numbers on a piece of paper that say, "oh, this kid scored high, he/she must be smart, and able to learn what our college has to teach." C'mon, institutions of higher learning. Stop kidding yourselves and just get rid of the SAT.

Learn more about this author, Ian Navas.
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