Nikoleta Polyxeni KastaniaMichael Carpenter’s Updates
ACT and SAT: The Gold Standard?
As of 2023, the ACT and SAT are the most commonly-taken college entrance exams by a considerable margin. This, even as some higher education institutions are moving towards "test optional" or "test blind" admission standards. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a decrease in the number of exams administered, but nonetheless, the ACT and SAT have remarkable staying power. Last year, the SAT was administered to 1.7 million high school students, with another 1.35 million taking the ACT. After a dip in 2020, the number of tests taken continues to rise each year (Claybourn, 2022).
These two standardized tests are mostly selection-type assessments, though each has had supply-type assessments included in various incarnations. Launched in 1926, the SAT (short for Scholastic Aptitude Test) used to include an essay, but discontinued this in 2021 in an attempt to retool for college admissions in a post-COVID landscape (Hartocollis, 2021). Debuting in 1959, the ACT (American College Testing) offers a writing test for an extra $25, though this supply-type add-on is optional depending on where a student applies for school. Each assessment offers a paper-based test, while the SAT will offer computer-based testing beginning in 2023 (something already offered by the ACT) (College Board, 2022).
While both tests are produced by non-profit corporations, the SAT and ACT are highly lucrative. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) and College Board administer the SAT, and their 2017 tax return indicated “a total revenue of $1.4 billion, with their president making $1.1 million.” Part of their revenue comes from the creation of AP course curriculum for high schoolers by the College Board. While less substantial than their counterparts, ACT Inc. reported revenue of “just over $353 million, with their CEO/director making $800k” in 2017. Study materials for each test provide both corporations with additional means of income (Saxena, 2019).
While new technology is shaping the way assessments are given in higher education, the SAT and ACT remain viable for aspiring college students in 2023.
References
Claybourn, C. (2022, December 1). Act vs. Sat: How to Decide Which Test to Take. U.S. News and World Report. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/act-vs-sat-how-to-decide-which-test-to-take
College Board Editors. (2022, January 25). Digital SAT Brings Student-Friendly Changes to Test Experience. College Board. newsroom.collegeboard.org/digital-sat-brings-student-friendly-changes-test-experience
Hartocollis, A et al. (2021, January 9). Retooling During Pandemic, the SAT Will Drop Essay and Subject Tests. The New York Times. nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/sat-essay-subject-tests.html
“SAT vs. ACT” (2023). AppleRouth.com.
Saxena, Jaya. (2019, March 28). The cost of taking the SAT and ACT, explained. Vox.
vox.com/the-goods/2019/3/28/18282453/sat-act-college-admission-testing-cost-price
Michael,
Thank you for sharing. This information is really interesting. As an elementary special education teacher, I do not have to worry about these tests, but standardized tests are always a huge obstacle for my students. There are so many reasons as to why these tests are not an accurate predictor of student success or knowledge. I do understand there needs to be a measure of student performance, but I am not convinced standardized tests are the answer. In addition, I did not realize how much money is being made by the creators of the tests. I would be curious to know how teachers who have had specific students in their classrooms feel about their scores on the ACT/SAT to see if they think it is an accurate representation. Just a thought.
Thank you!
Thank you for this great update, Michael. Like William, I am interested in your research on this topic. The SAT and ACT have been important standardized tests for as long as I can remember. It will be interesting to see if more and more colleges adopt a test optional position and how this will play out in terms of the number of students taking the SAT/ACT. I do not suspect that there will be any drastic changes to the number of test-takers anytime soon. When you consider that these tests are part of a money-making industry, it makes sense that they have the staying power that they do.
Curious to know, are the number of test-takers back to pre-Covid levels?
Michael,
I am interested to see where you go with this topic. Both of these tests are staples of high school educational experience going back several decades, and I would be interested to see what other options states, colleges, and other interested stakeholders are exploring and why. I had heard that one of the biggest downsides of colleges removing the ACT and SAT requirement is that is made admissions decisions harder for administrators who had multiple equally qualified candidates.