Why is the SAT is a great test?

There has been an enormous amount of backlash over the years against the SAT. Unfortunately, much of it is driven by the large commercial test prep companies who rely on a fear campaign to build a client-base. One prominently named company calls the SAT the "Stupid Annoying Test." They and other companies convince parents that the SAT does not test what children are learning in school and the only hope of their child's success is if they take those companies' courses.

• Trust us -- you want to take this test! College admissions officers are swamped with thousands of applications every year from over 25,600 high schools in the United States. With such a high number, there is no way they can compare public, private, and parochial schools across the nation. A GPA in one school may not be equivalent to a GPA in another.

  The SAT then becomes the great equalizer in evaluating academic achievement nationwide. Since everyone receives the same exam, the test result gives admissions officers a point of comparison.

• The SAT tests whether or not you have gained the tools and knowledge you need to move on to the college level. There is a grave misconception about the SAT that it does not test the right concepts, and that the concepts it does test do not show up in high school curricula. THIS IS UNTRUE!