Standardized Tests Get A Critical Look

Admissions offices have been looking for ways to understand what students are capable of beyond high school grades and standardized test scores for decades, but have not been able to reduce their dependence on the ACT and SAT. Psychologist Robert Sternberg, long a critic of standardized tests, has published a new book arguing that the admissions process could be changed to include open ended essay questions that would more accurately predict student performance than tests and high school grades do.

Sternberg hopes that this would open college admissions to students who were capable of doing college work, but may not have the highest test scores needed for admissions to top schools.

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