The College Board recently released data for 2013-14 testing, including information from the PSAT/NMSQT, Scholastic Aptitude Test and Advanced Placement Program. This is the first time the group has ever shared exam results. The numbers showed that participation has increased in College Board testing, but many students missed opportunities to succeed. The group believes that by using the data from the 2013-14 exams to help future students, more kids will get into college.
College preparation
The PSAT is a practice version of the SAT that students take their junior year. The SAT is the College Board's assessment that measures college readiness. Universities that require SAT scores on applications generally have a certain minimum score students must achieve to gain admittance. The AP exam is a test that runs in conjunction with an AP class. Students complete the advanced course (which is designed to be taught at college-level difficulty) and can take the exam. Those who get a high score (5 is the highest) may qualify for exemption from a similar class in college.
As you can see, all three exams are tied to college readiness and preparation, so they have high stakes for students. Unfortunately, less than half of students who took the SAT in 2013 met the College Board's benchmark for college success. Only 42.6 percent of students earned the qualifying score or better. That success rate is lower for minority students, as 15.8 percent of African-American students, 23.4 percent of Hispanic students and 33.5 percent of Native American students met the college success benchmark.
Looking forward
The report showed that scores for the AP exams were better than SAT outcomes. The amount of students who earned a passing grade on these challenging exams has doubled in the past decade from 7.6 percent in 2004 to 13.2 percent in 2014. What's more, participation in AP courses has increased by 3.8 percent in the last year. However, the College Board noted that more students qualified to take AP courses but did not do so.
"The College Board remains committed to ensuring all students with the potential to succeed in AP courses are able to access those opportunities." Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice president of AP and Instruction, said in a statement. "Research clearly shows that challenging coursework in high school is a vital component in helping students succeed as they transition to college and beyond."
Many students who took the PSAT were on track for college entrance their junior year, but scored worse on the SAT than their PSAT predicted they would. This indicates that somewhere along the line, students lose their focus. Schools should pay closer attention to student achievement, guiding those who need it and directing gifted students to AP courses.
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