The SAT and ACT are administered on both Saturday and Sunday. The extremely vast majority of students take the tests on Saturdays. An extremely small minority of students, those who are observant Jews (as well as some 7th day adventists and other religions), take the test on Sunday because of religious restrictions.
Yes, it is wonderful that the USA gives Jews such an opportunity. However, it quite possibly puts the religious Jews at a disadvantage. You see, the SAT is graded on a scale. When the pool of test-takers does better, the tests are graded more harshly. Though I don't have statistics, it is safe to assume that the vast majority of Sunday test-takers attend prep-schools and well-funded public schools. Also, it is well knowen that academic success and ambition are extremely important values to the American-Jewish world. Therefore, I am assuming (though uninformed, the college board won't answer my query) that Sunday test-takers face a disproportionally harsh scale.
2006-12-06 12:30:18 · 6 answers · asked by chronic-what-cles of narnia 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Standards & Testing
To crazedgunman, how is it fair that Jewish kids should be judged against a small sampling of each other rather than against the entire USA when they are being admitted into colleges against the USA?
To jpbofohio, go to http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/dialogue.htm it'll tell you that 85% of all ashkenazic jewish college-age kids are in college, and ashkenaz represent 80% of jews -i dont imagine sphardim are so different (wikipedia-ashkenazi jews)
Another reason I am unsettled is that the College Board won't answer my queries!
2006-12-06 13:30:34 · update #1
Get with the real world! They do not grade the test based on the "pool" of people that you take the test with. The tests are graded based on the scores from the past years.
It is also silly to think that "religious Jews", also known as Orthodox or Conservative, are all in prep schools. That may be true for your school, but not all Jews are rich. You are feeding the stereotype.
It is not well "knowen" that all in the American-Jewish world stress academic success and ambition. I have lived in several states throughout my life, meeting people from all portions of the American society. Your high school-aged view of the world may show you only that; consider yourself privileged to have such a lifestyle. But do not use your religious tenets as a scape goat for your testing deficiencies.
2006-12-06 12:53:51 · answer #1 · answered by jpbofohio 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question.
If we can agree that the Jewish American population is "more ambitious" and "better educated" than the population at large as you say, it would indeed be unfair to the non-Jews to have them measured against populations with differing social agendas.
So ironically, the "Sunday group" that you feel makes things unfair is conversly exceedingly fair, considering that like-skilled students are being matched against each other to establish a curve.
Probably not the answer that you wanted to hear, but I think you are all about advantage rather than fairness in any case.
2006-12-06 12:40:13 · answer #2 · answered by crazdgunman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I believe those results are somehow averaged with the Saturday test takers'. At least I'd hope so, for my family's sake. Regardless, I know that the curve is applied not only over a specific date, but in relation to known standards, so even if there is a bias, it shouldn't be a significant one.
Hope that helps,
Lighty
2006-12-06 13:07:16 · answer #3 · answered by Lighty 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in case you have not any situation taking time-honored tests, then my wager is that you're literally not used to the format or tricks of the SAT/ACT demons. go searching the internet for tricks about such issues as this, and do not ignore that those tests are devised with techniques from the nationwide association hostile to toddlers Scoring properly (NAACSW), so raising your try outcomes will be with techniques from no skill an elementary pastime.
2016-11-30 05:53:40 · answer #4 · answered by lesniewski 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this was an issue in new york for the PSATS, but they moved them to wednesday for that same reason, check if they have alternate dates usually on wednesday for sats and acts as well.
2006-12-06 12:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by zorstenwald 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are on crack.
No but really, everything is graded by a computer and is not graded differently.
Get over it.
2006-12-06 13:10:03 · answer #6 · answered by amerikanbeanhead 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋