UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IS DROPPING THE SAT AND ACT STANDARIDIZED TEST FOR POLITICAL REASONS. A DECISION THAT WILL HARM MINORITY AND ALL STUDENTS!
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR – BILL POWERS; Author of The Pharm House & The Torch is Passed
http://authorbillpowers.com
The University of California (UC) decided to eliminate the SAT and ACT as an admissions criterion because the standardized tests were deemed to be discriminatory against minorities. UC failed to explain or even address how Asians appear to be immune to the discriminatory effects of the SAT/ACT. The school setup a committee to identify a possible “non-discriminatory” replacement for the SAT/ACT within the next four years. We all know this is just a smoke screen and no such “non-discriminatory” test will be identified by the politically correct and woke reagents of the University of California meaning that a major criterion to maintaining a higher level of excellence at the University of California will be forever erased.
The results of the SAT/ACT at the Univ of CA, as elsewhere, show that blacks and Hispanic students do not perform as well as whites, who do not perform as well as Asians.
Instead of having an honest discussion on the root causes of the problem, CA instead yells “racists” and throws out the tests which were put in place to establish a level of excellence that the world envied. In other words, California chose the cheap, easy and wrong, but politically correct solution.
What are some of these non-politically correct factors that influence minority test scores and that no one wants to talk about?
HIGH RATES OF OUT OF WEDLOCK BIRTHS IN THE BLACK & HISPANIC COMMUNITIES, RESULTING IN MORE SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PRISON INCARCERATION RATES IN THE BLACK/HISPANIC COMMUNITIES
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER POVERTY LEVELS IN THE BLACK/HISPANIC COMMUNITIES
BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS MORE LIKELY TO ATTEND LOWER QUALITY SCHOOLS AS TEACHER’S UNIONS MAKE REFORM NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE
Banning the tests is much easier than trying to address any or all the serious issues above. However, there will likely be significant costs in terms of lowering the rigors of instruction needed to maintain graduation rates while lowering admissions criterion.
What happens when the graduates of the lowered expectations get out into the real world? Will they be able to compete? Or will California simply mandate that all graduates be hired regardless of qualifications?
No doubt there are serious and multiple societal issues that cause the racial disparities in the SAT/ACT. The easy solution is to yell “racists” and throw out the tests. However, eliminating the tests does nothing to address those societal issues.
Another factor rarely mentioned. Whether we like it or not (and it is not being adequately address by the American media), the United States and China are in a battle for global dominance. The next 10 – 15 years will determine the outcome of that battle. We will literally need our best and brightest (regardless of race). At this time, lowering the qualifications and standards of our top universities is a move in the wrong direction. If the universities in the People’s Republic of China are altering their entrance requirements, I somehow doubt they are in a downward direction. If we do not want to live in a world dominated by the Communist Party of China, this is a short-sighted and potentially costly move by the University of California.
AUTHOR – STYRON POWERS
THE UC TASK FORCE DID NOT RECOMMEND DROPPING THE SAT AND ACT TEST!
At the request of UC’s President, Janet Napolitano, the university formed the Standardized Testing Task Force in 2019. Its mission was to examine the impact of standardized testing on UC admissions. The Task Force did NOT recommend dropping the SAT and ACT.
ACTUAL STUDY FINDINGS
- At UC, test scores are currently better predictors of first-year GPA than high school grade point average (HSGPA), and about as good at predicting first-year retention, UGPA, and graduation.
- Across all GPA’s the test scores are good predictors of the important measures of success at University of California campus.
- Test scores are predictive for all demographic groups and disciplines, even after controlling for [High School] GPA. In fact, test scores are better predictors of success for students who are Underrepresented Minority students (URMs), who are first-generation, or whose families are low-income.
- Standardized tests do not under-predict future academic performance by minorities or low income students.
- Finally, the UC’s own expert Task Force did not conclude that eliminating the test would enhance diversity at UC Schools and did not recommend going test-optional. “It is a shame that racial grandstanding triumphed over the careful analysis of facts and data by the UC’s own very distinguished, diverse panel of experts.”
This political decision will cause more harm to the very students they claim to help.
HOW DOES DROPPING A STANDARDIZED TEST BECAUSE MINORITIES SCORE LOWER THAN WHITES, HELP TO CLOSE THE WEALTH GAP?
The above chart show the median wealth by whites Hispanics and blacks in the US from 1963 to 2016. The data indicate a worsening in the wealth gap for US African Americans and a slight improvement for Hispanic Americans.
Eliminating tests will NOT close this gap anymore than the $22 Trillion our federal government spent, since President Johnson declared a war on poverty. Trillions have been spent on failed welfare programs with zero accountability to U. S. taxpayers.
DO YOU WANT TO FINALLY STOP PAYING FOR THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP?
CONCLUSION
The purpose of my blog is to help increase your net-worth by strengthening your financial literacy. This decision led by Janet Napolitano, is demeaning and insulting to minorities. Both the ACT and the SAT tests, measure student’s readiness and predict future academic success. Over the years these tests have proven accurate. Yes, minorities score lower on average. Instead of finding the true root causes of the lower scores, UC made a feel good, politically correct MISTAKE. Why would anyone want to send a student to a university he/she is more than likely to fail and drop out? Minorities already drop out of college at a higher rate than Asian Americans and whites. Do we want to exacerbate this problem by eliminating test that can help all students pick a school that equates to their skill levels? How does this decision benefit any student given the outrageous cost of college today? Eliminating these tests may make Janet Napolitano feel better, but at the EXPENSE of ALL UC STUDENTS!
HOW COLLEGES FOOL YOU INTO OVERPAYING FOR UNDER PERFORMANCE
Thank you to all the “Essential Workers” who go to work to keep this country running. Our brave and terrific health care workers, Police, Fire, EMT’s; the employees we used to ignore at the grocery, drug stores, Walmart’s, Target, etc. The employees who produce our food, where so many have become ill with COVID-19 and some have lost their lives.
To all the families who lost a loved one to this virus, I send my sincere condolences and prayers.
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I am a proud nerd (as my beautiful wife and daughter have told me) investment and finance blogger, with a NC State, Chemical Engineering, University Rutgers, MBA and Harvard University, Advanced Management education.
I left a corporate career because I had a desire for making a difference as a speaker and writer, to help others. I was blessed to be coached and mentored by strong women and men in both my family and professional life. It is my time to serve and give back.
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