Colleges are reporting that this year's SAT results were significantly lower than those of years past. A problem with the test? Is poor Susie fatigued by the new writing portion? David Kahn, head of a private tutoring company in New York City, doesn't think so. In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Kahn posits that the SAT's revamped design better exposes students' mediocre schooling. The new test places more emphasis on reading comprehension and higher-level math-and everyone knows that mastering both takes years. A 6-week cram course doesn't help much anymore; students actually have to read widely and learn some real content to perform well. That's the good news. The bad news is that, thanks to the nation's wayward schools, most students have experienced a content-free education, and are now going to pay the price. Welcome to adulthood, kiddos!
"How Low Can We Go?" by David S. Kahn, Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2006