The egalitarians who so dominate our educational system have taken aim at standardized testing. Many colleges and universities no longer require either the SAT or ACT. Supposedly, the tests are “biased” and therefore tend to exacerbate “white privilege.”
One academician who disagrees is Professor Frederick Prete, and in today’s Martin Center article, he argues that the ACT in particular is a useful test that should be retained.
Prete has examined a lot of ACT data and finds that it does not discriminate against women. When it comes to race, Prete reports that minorities do less well, but among them, those with stronger educational aspirations fare well on the test.
What about the claim that wealthy families can afford to prepare for the test, giving them an unfair advantage? Prete contends that the advantage gained from test prep services is quite small. He writes, “These modest improvements are typical for test prep courses and cannot, alone, change the trajectory of anyone’s academic career. Further, the data do not support the contention that the inability to take a prep course, per se, is preventing deserving students from going to college.”
Prete also makes the essential point that whether a student attends an “elite” school or go somewhere else doesn’t really matter. The course of one’s life depends on his or her accomplishments, not educational pedigree.
In conclusion, Prete says, “Is the ACT biased? Yes, it is. It favors those students who have learned the basic material taught in high school, irrespective of their sex, race, or circumstance.”