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Comment by noodle | Hacker News Reader

i agree. and i really don't like the reliance on SAT scores for college admissions. is it an indicator, sure, but it isn't extremely accurate.

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i really don't like the reliance on SAT scores for college admissions

You certainly are far from alone in that opinion. What would you suggest that colleges look at rather than SAT scores when choosing from a larger number of applicants than the colleges can offer admission to?

I don't know of a solution better/more efficient than a written test. The education system is different in India and I like that system somewhat better. There is an entrance exam you need to give to enter into high profile colleges which has a defined syllabus but no questions are repeated and are based on your understanding of the subject rather than rote learning.

tests are very efficient, but the SAT only tests one dimension of a person. it provides a very flat picture of a potential student. i agree that the system in India sounds distinctly better, but still not perfect in my opinion.

I agree with you, but do you know of a better/more efficient solution?

i couldn't say. all i know is what doesn't work, from experience.

i'd really like a college to sit down and do a study on what really does predict success in their student body, looking at and perhaps requiring different things like IQ, SAT, ACT, high school data, etc.. test all incoming freshmen on the things they haven't already taken. etc.

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