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Some standardized test results should always inform decision-making. Here in Britain we rely on non-standardized subject exam results and "interviews" which is probably why our so-called "top" universities, namely Oxford and Cambridge, are still over half full of privileged upper middle class white kids. No room for "natural ability" here! Obviously some tests are more able to assess genuine intellect than others and almost every I.Q. test has some cultural bias, but just because the tests you have don't adequately assess creativity or faultlessly select only the cleverest students as opposed to the more advantaged, doesn't mean that you have to abandon standardized testing - you just need to get better at designing the tests! In our system anyone with money can send their children to schools which have more money, more resources and smaller class numbers (i.e. private) and also buy in additional tutors if their kids still seem unlikely to get straight A's. The more exclusive of these schools are also kind of social clubs - so anyone who used to attend Eton, for example, will look very favourably on an Old Etonion when they turn up for a job interview - I suspect some of this is familiar to Americans as well. However, when it was suggested that I.Q. tests should form part of admissions procedures the upper middle classes were up in arms! After all, all schools can provide basic training in I.Q tests, but then it is up to the pupil - and some of our rich kids, while managing to gain tens of paper qualifications, might find it a little uncomfortable to do tests which don't give them an advantage to begin with! So yes, you should keep your SATs, but improve them - so that they become much better indicators of intellect rather than cultural advantage!

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