[martyup]

Standardized tests should level the playing field, giving kids from any socioeconomic background an equal opportunity for a college education.  Throwing out the standardized tests because they are biased against minorities does not achieve a level playing field.  In fact, I would argue that it will make it more difficult for smart kids from poor neighborhoods and coming out of bad high schools to gain admission to top colleges.

If the standardized tests are not "standardized," why not fix the tests rather than throw them out?  These tests should be color blind, culture blind, and religious blind.  The tests should be a gauge of the students' grasp of reading, writing, and math.  

I'm sorry to bring common sense to such a complex issue that touches on the delicate third rail of racial and social justice by suggesting an Occam's Razar approach.  Maybe I've just been drinking too much Brawndo these days.

Aren't you assuming that "smart kids from poor neighborhoods and coming out of bad schools" have bad GPAs?  Why would you make that assumption?  Mine would be the opposite.  Stated differently, if smart kids in bad schools have great GPAs (which I think far more likely than them having non-stellar GPAs), then how would keeping standardized tests help them in college admissions process?

No, I was talking about the smart kid who is not inspired to and does not get good grades because she has crappy teachers and perhaps has poor attendance at school because she has to babysit her siblings when her mother goes on a binger.   Or the brilliant kid who misses a lot of classes because of harvesting season on the farm that takes precedence, in his father's opinion, over school.  These kids might have mediocre grades but would get a high SAT scores.

[martyup]

Standardized tests should level the playing field, giving kids from any socioeconomic background an equal opportunity for a college education.  Throwing out the standardized tests because they are biased against minorities does not achieve a level playing field.  In fact, I would argue that it will make it more difficult for smart kids from poor neighborhoods and coming out of bad high schools to gain admission to top colleges.

If the standardized tests are not "standardized," why not fix the tests rather than throw them out?  These tests should be color blind, culture blind, and religious blind.  The tests should be a gauge of the students' grasp of reading, writing, and math.  

I'm sorry to bring common sense to such a complex issue that touches on the delicate third rail of racial and social justice by suggesting an Occam's Razar approach.  Maybe I've just been drinking too much Brawndo these days.

Aren't you assuming that "smart kids from poor neighborhoods and coming out of bad schools" have bad GPAs?  Why would you make that assumption?  Mine would be the opposite.  Stated differently, if smart kids in bad schools have great GPAs (which I think far more likely than them having non-stellar GPAs), then how would keeping standardized tests help them in college admissions process?

No, I was talking about the smart kid who is not inspired to and does not get good grades because she has crappy teachers and perhaps has poor attendance at school because she has to babysit her siblings when her mother goes on a binger.   Or the brilliant kid who misses a lot of classes because of harvesting season on the farm that takes precedence, in his father's opinion, over school.  These kids might have mediocre grades but would get a high SAT scores.