High-school students across the country are protesting the disappointing results of their June SAT exam after the scores came in lower than expected. Some believe that the College Board must have made a huge error.
In reality, there was nothing wrong with their scores aside from the fact that they were low.
As the College Board explained to these concerned students, they grade on a curve based on the scores of other versions of the SAT, since some versions of the exam are easier than others.
“The equating process ensures fairness for all students,” the College Board said in a statement on Twitter.
Here is information for the students who reached out with questions about their June SAT scores. pic.twitter.com/ngXywO88ji
— The College Board (@CollegeBoard) July 12, 2018
But statistical fairness wasn’t good enough for these social-justice-warriors-in-training (and their parents), who have only one thing on their minds: getting an acceptance letter from their college of choice. They took to Twitter with their complaints, using the hashtag #rescoreJuneSAT.
Some attacked the “College Board’s decision to harshly curve down.”
I, along with thousands of other high school students have been cheated out of a rightful SAT score given the College Board’s decision to harshly curve down the June 2018 SAT test. We deserve a true score and for our tests to be reconsidered under a FAIR scale. #rescoreJuneSAT pic.twitter.com/R8rwZyx0fl
— Campbell Taylor (@CBrooksTaylor) July 11, 2018
Another student called on both students and parents to pressure the College Board by reporting them to the Better Business Bureau.
If you really want to make waves… report the CB to the BBB! #rescoreJuneSAT pic.twitter.com/tP263QcNB4
— olivia (@Livia59552289) July 14, 2018
Someone even created a Twitter account called “Rescore the June Sat” to vent their frustration at the College Board.
@CollegeBoard The lack of difficulty is not the student’s faults. We should not be penalized for taking this SAT and receive scores that are not correct. Just because this was an easier test SHOULD NOT result in TERRIBLY LOW scores that DO NOT reflect the students #rescoreJuneSAT
— Rescore the June Sat (@RescoreSat) July 11, 2018
To be fair, the College Board has had somewhat of a monopoly in the college prep and admissions market and would ultimately benefit from thousands of students having to retake the SAT. However, a curve is a fair way of grading a test with so many variations like the SAT, and while this curve was harsher than others, the test was also much easier, according to the College Board.
Snowflake students are protesting because, for years, they’ve been told how smart and special they are, and this test has challenged that notion. Their understanding of “fairness” has been tainted by society, and they have yet to learn the life lesson that if you work hard and study hard, there’s a chance you will still fail. Unfortunately, when you’re told that college admission is the ultimate goal in life, that truth likely won’t provide much comfort.
