Each year, millions of students across the country take at least one test offered as part of the College Board’s SAT Assessments, which includes the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9, while others take the ACT.  Typically, the SAT and ACT are used by universities to compare the grammar, reading, math, and, in the ACT’s case, science abilities of applicants as part of the college admissions process.  

In comparison to grades in individual classes, where course difficulty varies from school-to-school, or extracurricular commitments, which change depending on the school district and community, standardized tests help colleges place all students on a uniform scale.

  “They aren’t perfect but I think the idea of standardized tests is good because a lot of factors go into what grade you get in a particular class so a test based solely on what you know about the subject makes comparing student scores more fair,” said junior Sharmistha Talukdar.

  So, in theory, if everyone takes roughly the same test, standardized testing should be completely fair and unaffected by economic privilege. That is the idea perpetuated by the College Board, which claims it “believes in providing all test takers with a fair opportunity to demonstrate their achievement” said the 2021 Fairness on the SAT Suite of Assessments report.  

However, the truth is that preparing for a standardized test can be a sizable financial commitment, which can negatively affect those of a poorer economic background.  The SAT itself costs $55 at registration, although those eligible for an SAT fee waiver can sign up for two tests for no cost.  Aside from the cost of registration and potential late or cancellation fees, test preparation fees are most expensive.

The multi-billion dollar test prep industry in North America is only growing, and private tutors and companies, such as the Princeton Review and Private Prep, frequently charge well over $200 per hour of tutoring, depending on how thorough and personalized the service is.

“I think that private tutoring is probably the best option for students taking the ACT or SAT, but the expenses associated with it definitely bring an unfair advantage to those who are unable to afford the benefits of one-on-one test preparation,” said junior Dillon Marvin.

Luckily, there is a decent amount of standardized test prep available for free online.  As part of its fairness initiative, the SAT offers eight full length practice tests on its website; similarly, the ACT offers practice questions, tests, and answer explanations.  Other educational organizations, such as Khan Academy, also provide free resources.  Nonetheless, these materials are likely not as impactful as one-on-one tutoring.  According to an ACT Working Paper Series study by Moore et al., working with a private tutor improved retest scores, whereas engagement in other activities for test preparation was not statistically related to gains in scores.

“At first when I was studying, I had a tutor that basically just gave me work to do by myself and gave me resources, but I wasn’t really getting any personalized attention and was unhappy with my progress.  I switched tutors, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my test performance now that I have someone who actually sees what types of questions I’m getting wrong and knows my learning style,” said junior Tarah Parmar. 

So, what can Schreiber do to bridge the gap? The school already holds some standardized test prep books in the library and offers access to Method Test Prep, an online prep course, through Naviance.  

Unfortunately, all research points to one-on-one prep being the most crucial for obtaining a high score.  In a study published in 2018 by the International Research in Education journal, researchers found that students who participated in one-on-one tutoring had a 60% higher SAT score increase than students who participated in group tutoring hours.  Starting preparations earlier in the year and spreading out one’s studies over a longer period of time were also linked to higher scores.  

This means that the most effective help the school could offer would be consistent individual tutoring spread out over the course of the school year.

“In theory, private tutoring through the school would be greatly beneficial especially for students who can’t afford it outside of school. The main problem is funding; private tutoring is very expensive,” said social studies teacher Ms. Thomas.

It is important that students have access to personalized tutoring, but the cost may be too expensive for the school. Even if Schreiber raised money to fund private tutoring, it would likely only cover a few students. 

Instead, there could be a club that offered peer tutoring for the SAT and ACT, similar to what the honor societies do for other subjects. Students that received high scores on the tests and demonstrated high levels of understanding could assist their peers. Furthermore, club fundraisers could raise money for and organize donations of preparation materials. 

Either way, it is clear that private tutoring gives students a huge advantage when taking standardized tests that are supposed to be fair and equitable.  The Schreiber community must do everything possible to right this injustice.