SAT scores declined again in 2007, according to the College Board’s annual
College-Bound Seniors report.
On the plus side, more minorities than ever took the test, although the College Board reports that gaps in achievement persist, most minority groups scoring lower than their White and Asian peers.
The report also found that more graduates were taking advanced math courses like pre-calculus and calculus, which appears to have translated into higher scores on the mathematics section. Similar results were seen in writing where graduates who took an English composition course scored higher than those who did not.
[back to top]
The findings
Combined scores dropped by 7 points between 2006 and 2007; gaps persist between student groups, males and females
-
The nation’s graduating Class of 2007 had a combined score of 1511 (of all three sections—Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing) which is a seven-point drop from 2006.
-
Scores declined in all three tested areas from 2006 to 2007. Critical reading dropped from 503 to 502 and mathematics from 518 to 515. In its first two years of being a required, writing also dropped, from 497 to 494.
-
Over the last ten years scores declined by three points in critical reading but improved by four points in mathematics.
-
Gaps widened between both Black and White students in critical reading and mathematics.
-
Gaps also widened in critical reading and mathematics between Other Hispanic and White student categories.
-
Gaps narrowed between Mexican American and White students in both critical reading and mathematics.
-
Males continue to outperform females in mathematics (533 to 499) and critical reading (504 to 502) but females outperform males in writing (500 to 489).
[back to top]
The number of test-takers reached an all-time high
-
An all-time high of 1.5 million students in the Class of 2007 took the SAT exam, which equates to 48 percent of the total Class of 2007.
-
Thirty-nine percent of the test takers were minorities, which is also an all-time high. Hispanic students were the largest minority group taking the SAT and were the fastest growing group as well.
-
The percent of test takers that did not have English as their exclusive first language increased from 17 percent in 1997 to 24 percent in 2007.
-
More females than males continue to take the SAT (54 and 46 percent respectively).
[back to top]
Students are taking more advanced math classes; literature courses preferred to composition classes
-
A greater percentage of graduates are taking pre-calculus now (53 percent) than ten years ago (40 percent). More females (53 percent) are taking pre-calculus than males (46 percent).
-
Although 88 percent of graduates took an American Literature course, only two-thirds took an English Composition course. This is significant since graduates who did so scored 27 points higher on the writing section (521 to 494).
[back to top]
Significant majority of 2006 grads who took the SAT attended college in 2007
-
Of the Class of 2006 graduates that took the SAT, 81 percent were known to attend college this past year.
-
Of those who went on to college, 79 percent attended an in-state institution while the remaining 21 percent went out of state.
[back to top]
Cautions about the data
-
Scores are not representative of the achievement of all high school students, since not all students take the exam. The majority of students in about half the states take the SAT. Even in those states, students who dropped out or do not expect to attend college typically do not take the exam.
-
The SAT is a reasoning test which does not measure how well a student has learned the curriculum. It also is not aligned to state standards.
[back to top]
Conclusion
Like ACT score results, the SAT results show that students score higher on college admission tests as they take more advanced courses. As the number of graduates taking the SAT increases and becomes more diverse, it is important that advanced courses are available to all students. School boards can evaluate their schools to determine if they have the resources needed to provide all students access to the advanced courses necessary to attend and succeed in postsecondary education or the workplace.
[back to top]
Posted: August 29, 2007
© Center for Public Education
