Report: High Scorers May Benefit Most From Standardized Test Preparation
Students who receive above-average scores on standardized college
admissions tests, such as the SAT, may benefit the most from
commercial test preparation services, according to new report from
the National Association for College Admission Counseling, although
the benefits of such test preparation may not outweigh the costs for
many families (“Test Preparation May Help High Scorers Most, Report
Says,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 20, 2009).
Research indicates that commercial test preparation services may
raise students’ SAT scores by up to 30 points, however the score
gains may not be directly attributable to the coaching alone, says
author of the NACAC report Derek Briggs, associate professor of
education at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
In his report, “Preparation for College Admission Exams,” Briggs
suggests that students who don’t use test prep services may still be
able to achieve the same range of score increases seen by those
students who do use the services just by purchasing a test
preparation handbook and taking a series of practice tests.
“If there are effects to be gained through preparation,” Briggs
said, “can you get the same effect without spending the money?
That’s a pertinent question in this economy.”
Does Test Prep Coaching Improve Admissions Chances?
Of all the colleges Briggs surveyed in his study, only one third
said that in some cases an increase of 20 points on the math portion
of the SAT or an increase of 10 points on the critical-reading
section could “significantly improve” an applicant’s chance of being
admitted. This was especially true, the report indicated, at highly
selective colleges where applicant scores tend to fall within a
narrow range.
“If you come from a wealthy family and have high scores to begin
with and can spend $1,000, then test prep might be worth it for
those 30 points,” Briggs said. “What’s unfortunate is if middle-
class or poorer families think test prep is going to raise their
scores by 300 points. If you’re a kid with scores between 400 to
500, I’m not sure it’s going to make any difference.”
Seppy Basili, a vice president at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions,
is concerned what effect Brigg’s findings might have on test takers,
especially black and Hispanic students who typically don’t score as
high as white students on the SAT.
Basili said, “I wouldn’t want the message to minority students to be
that you can’t benefit by preparing.”