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A grand thing. There is no question that the SAT is an inane measure of intelligence and competence, skewing results after a dramatic fashion in favor of natural-born test-takers. Colleges should be interested in the imaginations and critical-thinking skills of would-be applicants, both of which could be better analyzed through essays and interviews. We don't need more quants on Wall Street but more philosophers in Washington; it should be the aim of the college and University to cultivate this philosophical and integrally critical sense in its students. The school that emphasizes the SAT and ACT scores is the negligent school, the backward school, the school mired in decay and self-interest.

A main purpose of a university is to train and develop the minds of the intellectually superior. From these come the leaders of tomorrow. While the SAT may not be ideal, has anyone provided a better measure of identifying these students? It is comprehensive, impersonal, and universally available. There is no logic in eliminating it. A university my change the emphasis placed on the results, but all applicants should take it. Essays and interviews are not as thorough, effective, comprehensive, or impartial. While some students with lower SAT scores may do well, there is little evidence that those with high scores do poorly, as a group. Those who may have language or other barriers need to overcome them, if they are to be US citizens.

Used to be that you graduated from high school, then enrolled in college. You attended college to become a more well-rounded individual. Now, too many colleges are demanding (in the game of competition and money) that the high school students ALREADY be well-rounded and willing to commit to the college months before graduation.

SAT, having far too much of an emphasis being placed on it by these colleges, use the test results as a "better performing student" measuring stick, for the college's stats. However, when parents are paying hundreds, and yes, thousands of dollars for SAT coaching, then the system is being abused.

Drop the SAT and give others a more level playing field and opportunity.

This is just another way of dumbing down the curriculum to allow students who did not apply themselves in high school to get free tuition and continue to live off the hard working Americans. Why is it that we always have to meet the needs of the minorities in this great land and not allow them to rise to the calibre of academics that used to be required for college bound students? No wonder the United States can't compete anymore with other countries. We are too worried about hurting someone's feelings by making them do some work. Why don't we all just quit our jobs, go on welfare, and become a socialist state where the government takes care of everyone. Where have we gone to? - Welfare, Medicaid, WIC, aid for parents of students with disabilities, free tuition for "some" students, etc, etc, etc. For one, I am tired of working 2 jobs to make ends meet and having half of my earning taken in taxes to support others to sit on their behinds with their hands out. Let's get America back to a country that we can be proud of - where EVERYONE puts in a full days work for a full days earnings.

An "A" at one high school may translate to a "B" at another. The SAT is just one way the colleges and universities can level the application field. The SAT measures an individual's verbal and analytical ability which does translate to their being "able" to be successful in a college or university setting. However, this "ability" is not 100% either way. There are those who don't "test" well who could be successful in college as well as those who do "test" well who won't be successful perhaps due to lack of organization or laziness.

I hope this won't be a trend. As a teacher of 7th and 8th grade language arts my students study SAT vocabulary words throughout the year. In fact, we have reviewed the study booklet offered by SAT. I do this so my students can see the importance of what they learn in my class. Typically after students recognize the value of a solid vocabulary, good grammar skills, and excellent writing, they tend to apply themselves more readily to their assignments. As a side benefit, their reading scores increase exponentially which affects their performance in each of their content classes.

Finally, consider this. The SAT gives students experience with this type of timed test. This experience then helps them in being better prepared to take future tests such as the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc. As for the high costs of these preparation programs for the SAT, I warn my parents to encourage their children to continually build their vocabulary, improve their grammar skills, and read constantly. All three of these activities will help their children stay on track and build a solid foundation for taking the SAT. There shouldn't be a need to enroll in one of those prep courses. Besides that, can students honestly be expected to cram 500 vocabulary words, numerous grammar rules, and year's worth of writing experience into a six-week period?

I'll put it this way -- of the top two highest SAT scores at my high school (class of 2003), one is now an unemployed college dropout and the other majored in drama and now works at Disney World.