The existing gender disparity of the SAT

In 2007, FairTest.org, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the misuse of standardized testing, published “Gender Bias on College Admissions Tests,” explaining why it was that girls statistically receive lower SAT scores than boys even though girls statistically do better in high school and college than boys.

The College Board has since decided to redesign the SAT.

I can’t say how much influence FairTest.org had, but College Board’s three goals all boil down to making the test more fair, more accessible and more appealing to
universities. 

But if any reform is to be done, the gender gap must be addressed. There is a 30-point difference in SAT scores between male and female students that remains unexplained.

In 1989, a federal judge went so far as to ban New York universities from using SAT scores alone to award scholarships, since the tests were not, and are not, accurate predictors of a student’s success in college.

They were also not accurate predictors of females’ success in college.

No one could explain why girls did better in school, but not better on the standardized tests. FairTest.org highlights two major areas that need to change.

First, there are biased questions on the test.

When the first reforms were conducted, statistics showed females scored higher on the verbal sections of the test than boys, while boys did statistically better in math.
The verbal section was balanced with questions about sports and business so boys’ scores rose, while nothing was done to balance the math section.

Boys, obviously, began doing better.

The second area of concern was the speed of the tests.

Studies have shown females and males approach problem-solving differently — fast tests don’t allow females the time necessary to answer each question accurately.
When the time constraints were lifted or lengthened, it was found that females did markedly better on their exams.

I think these are easy reforms. If College Board can balance the verbal section, then it can balance the math section. If the test is already four hours long, it won’t kill anyone to go a little longer.

The SAT is a massive part of students’ lives, and such a definitive score, having it be a gender-biased test is ridiculous. It only contributes to the larger sexism problem, and it is wildly unfair.

If these reforms are going to do anything, College Board needs to consider the girls too.

­— eweinning@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Emma Wenninger on Twitter @EmmaWenninger.