College Board's 'Score Choice' Policy

In an article posted about two months ago by NEWSWEEK, entitled, The New SAT Score Policy: Tiny Loophole, Big Shock? a new policy is discussed which would take into effect September 2009 regarding the SAT scores sent to colleges.

Initially, regardless of how many times a student, high school junior or senior, would take the their SATs, every score would be directly sent to the college the student is applying to. However, with Score Choice, as College Board is proposing, would allow the students to make the decision on choosing which scores are sent to the prospective colleges. Essentially, the student could take the SATs multiple times without receiving a penalty of having scored very low one time or maybe mediocre another. College Board believes this implementing this new policy would help release some of the pressure and stress students face during the process.

I think all of us, being that this is a college course, at one point experienced the grueling College process and one of those factors was the preparation for the SATs. Just studying for the three hour exam was nerve wracking enough, but once the test date came on that bright Saturday morning, it was nothing but sweaty palms and whispered prayers hoping to just make it through the exam. In an SAT prep course, the instructors even gave advice to make sure we were ‘always hydrated’ to bring a bottle of Gatorade for the electrolytes and have a good hearty breakfast. Suffice to say the pressures and stress of taking the SATs were very real.

There are some opponents who argue, as the article states, that this is a mere strategy for College Board to gain more recipients to take their test, oppose to the ACT. If College Board wants to implement this new policy, why not? Some universities have already been contacted about this, and some have stated they would honor Score Choice. As I mentioned earlier, the numerous stress factors high school juniors and seniors face as they embark the road to college, if this could in some way help alleviate that stress or anxiety, why say no? Additionally, this is an educational policy that would effect students across the nation. Of the most tantalizing experiences one faces in high school, between gym class and the SATs, I think this just might make the latter a little more tolerable.