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College Board Scores With Critics of SAT Analogies [No More Verbal Analogy in SAT-more dumbing down]
LA Times ^ | 7/27/03 | By Paul Pringle

Posted on 07/27/2003 4:52:44 AM PDT by randita

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sat27jul27,1,1810756.story?coll=la-home-headlines

 

College Board Scores With Critics of SAT Analogies

By Paul Pringle

Times Staff Writer

July 27, 2003

The SAT is to college admission ...

" ... As a root canal is to a dentist?" said Peter Lee, 16. He and several other weary-looking high school students had just emerged from a four-hour SAT prep class in Glendale.

"As a root canal is to a patient?" suggested Emin Gharibian, 17.

Neither of those worked for Anthony Kwon, 16. "As a root canal is to pain," he said.

Pain is typically the refrain when college-bound youngsters jaw about the SAT. But some relief is coming. This month, University of California regents approved plans for a revamped SAT that would eliminate its long-maligned analogy section, after more than 70 years of torturing the correlation-challenged.

UC President Richard Atkinson had railed against the analogies, which account for 19 of the SAT's 72 verbal questions, as a memory drill that measured little of a student's potential. He threatened to scrap the SAT as a UC requirement unless the test makers replaced the multiple-choice analogies with reading comprehension questions, added a writing exercise and expanded the math portion.

The College Board, the New York-based firm that owns the SAT, gave Atkinson what he wanted. And no wonder: UC is to the board as General Motors is to U.S. Steel — a huge customer. The analogies will disappear in 2005.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: admissions; analogies; englisheducation; sat; sat4dummies; testing; verbal
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1 posted on 07/27/2003 4:52:44 AM PDT by randita
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To: randita
Like the Wiz said to the Scarecrow
"You dont need a brain..what you need is a diploma"
2 posted on 07/27/2003 5:03:06 AM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: joesnuffy
LOL. That about sums it up.
3 posted on 07/27/2003 5:42:53 AM PDT by ItisaReligionofPeace ((the original))
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
I'm a New Yorker. Lived down south for a while. They were giving out awards to kids who had "achieved" a score of 800 TOTAL on the SATs.
4 posted on 07/27/2003 6:01:38 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
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To: randita
Coming to a test near you soon...

"What do the letters SAT stand for?"

Anyone know? Anyone care? Oh hell, everyone passes. We can't have egos bruised.

I fear for the future leaders of this country.
5 posted on 07/27/2003 6:14:03 AM PDT by wunderkind54
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To: randita
He and several other weary-looking high school students

Weary from watching reality tv shows....NOT from crack'n the books, I'm sure.

6 posted on 07/27/2003 6:14:34 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I will defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: Sacajaweau
kids who had "achieved" a score of 800 TOTAL on the SATs

Dear God!!!

Don't you get 200 for writing your name at the top of the exam?

7 posted on 07/27/2003 6:16:06 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I will defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: Sacajaweau
Who is "they"? Having lived in the South much of my life, I've never heard of such a thing. I have heard of Yankees (especially New Yorkers) thinking that they are the most brilliant of all.
8 posted on 07/27/2003 6:18:00 AM PDT by ItisaReligionofPeace ((the original))
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To: Sacajaweau
By definition, half of all students and half of all instructors teaching at a university are below average intelligence for that institution. Invariably the intellectually challenged student will persue an education degree and be taught by academic phonies who people education departments. The result: Since the brightest of women no longer choose teaching for a career, we have produced three generations of mediocrities to teach our children.
9 posted on 07/27/2003 6:19:18 AM PDT by gaspar
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To: Sacajaweau
They were giving out awards to kids who had "achieved" a score of 800 TOTAL on the SATs.

Please don't tell me this (although I fear it's true). 800 score puts you in the bottom 14%

10 posted on 07/27/2003 6:20:57 AM PDT by SauronOfMordor (Java/C++/Unix/Web Developer === will work for food)
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To: randita
The NEA is to education, as the UN is to World Peace.
11 posted on 07/27/2003 6:26:51 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: randita
Mustn't bother our future leaders with logic - that would be abusive and against their civil rights!
12 posted on 07/27/2003 6:27:02 AM PDT by abclily
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To: gaspar
With the drive for smaller and smaller class sizes, we have to go further to the left on the bell curve to get the required number of teachers.
13 posted on 07/27/2003 6:28:41 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Paranoia is when you realize that tin foil hats just focus the mind control beams.)
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To: Semper Paratus
The NEA is to education, as the Communists were to the Soviet Union.
14 posted on 07/27/2003 6:29:24 AM PDT by abclily
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To: KarlInOhio
The drive for smaller class size is motivated by the NEA's desire for more dues-paying members. Smaller class size does not result in higher test scores. Classroom discipline results in higher test scores.
15 posted on 07/27/2003 6:32:03 AM PDT by abclily
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To: randita
we have to make the test totally fair to the stupid ones. After all doesn't the Constituition say we have to make everyone equal? {sarcasm)
16 posted on 07/27/2003 6:32:11 AM PDT by Eternal_Bear
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To: SauronOfMordor
H°°°, I nearly made that on the math portion of the SAT and that was 12 years ago. Sheesh!
17 posted on 07/27/2003 6:36:15 AM PDT by Maigrey (Member of the Dose's Jesus Freaks and Gonzo News Service)
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To: Semper Paratus
It all makes the legal system easier.
'white' is to 'guilty of hate crime' as 'black' is to 'victim'
18 posted on 07/27/2003 6:38:05 AM PDT by Evil Inc
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To: SauronOfMordor
Here's the new intellectual challenge with the SAT - Getting a perfect 400 (200+200).

http://www.colinfahey.com/2003apr5_sat/2003apr5_sat.htm

19 posted on 07/27/2003 6:55:18 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: ItisaReligionofPeace
Slightly off topic, in the NYC public scool system, there are graduation ceremonies for each grade, including cap, gown and diploma, starting from Kindergarten on.

When I was a kid, you got one diploma, period, high school.

20 posted on 07/27/2003 6:55:45 AM PDT by NickRails
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