New SATs not so improved
By Meghan Patrick, contributing writer
Posted on April 3, 2006

Errors in scoring the new SAT has resulted in controversy over the accuracy awarding merit scholarships to incoming college freshmen.

The College Board, which now administers the test on a grading scale of 2400 points instead of 1600, revealed in a March 26 New York Times article that “Because of technical problems in scanning the October exam, the scores of more than 5,000 students were inaccurately reported.”

In the article, college officials said, “At many colleges, the biggest impact of the mistakes made by the College Board will be on eligibility for scholarships, not on admissions.”

Dennis Trotter of Franklin and Marshall College added, “I know it is really hard for the public to understand why fifty points can make a difference, but when it comes down to it, we might be looking at two hundred students who might qualify for these scholarships and they go head to head.”

In contrast, the consequence of the errors on incoming JMU freshmen is “non-existent,” said JMU assistant director of Admissions Sarah Schaeffer, “Because the scholarships have not been awarded.”

JMU will offer approximately 80 merit scholarships this year, the majority from the Honors Program, and the rest through subject departments.

JMU Director of Admissions Michael Walsh feels that the impact of the errors was not of the highest importance in the awarding of the available JMU scholarships because it is not a process solely based on numbers.

“We take a holistic approach with both admission decisions and scholarship decisions,” Walsh said.

Schaeffer feels that JMU admissions were not affected by the errors.
 
“The College Board immediately notified colleges about the errors,” Schaeffer said. “Their quick response was very appropriate. We made sure to double-check the affected records.”

In the Times article, Christine A. Halloran, an assistant director of admissions at the College of New Jersey called the scoring revisions “a nonevent in terms of admissions because much of the decision-making is based on the strength of the academic transcript.”

In regards to the new SATs’ effect on the errors, Schaeffer said, “I do not think it has anything to do with it. They administer so many tests each year, I think they have a good understanding of what they are doing — even with the new test.

“There is a lot of anxiety over switching the style of the exam because people are afraid of the word ‘change’,” she said. “People are more likely to make a big deal what is really a small error.”