What We Know, Are Still Getting Wrong, and Have Yet to Learn about the Relationships among the SAT, Intelligence and Achievement
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. What We Know about the SAT
2.1. The SAT Measures Intelligence
2.2. The SAT Predicts College Achievement
2.3. The SAT Is Important to Colleges
2.4. The SAT Is Important to Students
3. What We Get Wrong about the SAT
3.1. The SAT Mostly Measures Ability, Not Privilege
3.2. The SAT Predicts More Than First Year Grades
3.3. Why the Resistance to SAT, Intelligence, and Achievement Relationships?
4. What Researchers Are Still Learning about the SAT
5. Conclusions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Frey, M.C.; Detterman, D.K. Scholastic assessment or g? The relationship between the scholastic assessment test and general cognitive ability. Psychol. Sci. 2004, 15, 373–378. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Koenig, K.A.; Frey, M.C.; Detterman, D.K. ACT and general cognitive ability. Intelligence 2008, 36, 153–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Beaujean, A.A.; Firmin, M.W.; Knoop, A.J.; Michonski, J.D.; Berry, T.P.; Lowrie, R.E. Validation of the Frey and Detterman (2004) IQ prediction equations using the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales. Personal. Individ. Differ. 2006, 41, 353–357. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coyle, T.R.; Pillow, D.R. SAT and ACT predict college GPA after removing g. Intelligence 2008, 36, 719–729. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coyle, T.R. Relations among general intelligence (g), aptitude tests, and GPA: Linear effects dominate. Intelligence 2015, 53, 16–22. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shapiro, E.; Goldstein, D. Scandal Highlights Shift Away from Entry Exams. New York Times. Available online: https://search.proquest.com/docview/2191256310 (accessed on 15 May 2019).
- Lemann, N. The Big Test, 1st ed.; Farrar, Straus and Giroux: New York, NY, USA, 1999. [Google Scholar]
- Roell, K. 5 Things the SAT Does Not Measure or Predict. Available online: https://www.thoughtco.com/things-the-sat-does-not-measure-or-predict-3211898 (accessed on 27 November 2019).
- Westrick, P.A.; Marini, J.P.; Young, L.; Ng, H.; Shmueli, D.; Shaw, E. Validity of the SAT® for Predicting First-Year Grades and Retention to the Second Year; College Board: New York, NY, USA, 2019. [Google Scholar]
- Pascarella, E.T.; Cruce, T.; Umbach, P.D.; Wolniak, G.C.; Kuh, G.D.; Carini, R.M.; Hayek, J.C.; Gonyea, R.M.; Zhao, C. Institutional selectivity and good practices in undergraduate education: How strong is the link? J. High. Educ. 2006, 77, 251–285. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wai, J.; Brown, M.I.; Chabris, C.F. Using standardized test scores to include general cognitive ability in education research and policy. J. Intell. 2018, 6, 37. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Klugman, J. How resource inequalities among high schools reproduce class advantages in college destinations. Res. High. Educ. 2012, 53, 803–830. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kuncel, N.R.; Hezlett, S.A. Fact and fiction in cognitive ability testing for admissions and hiring decisions. Curr. Dir. Psychol. Sci. 2010, 19, 339–345. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hambrick, D.; Chabris, C. Yes, IQ Really Matters. Available online: https://slate.com/technology/2014/04/what-do-sat-and-iq-tests-measure-general-intelligence-predicts-school-and-life-success.html (accessed on 27 November 2019).
- Sackett, P.R.; Kuncel, N.R.; Beatty, A.S.; Rigdon, J.L.; Shen, W.; Kiger, T.B. The role of socioeconomic status in SAT-grade relationships and in college admissions decisions. Psychol. Sci. 2012, 23, 1000–1007. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Higdem, J.L.; Kostal, J.W.; Kuncel, N.R.; Sackett, P.R.; Shen, W.; Beatty, A.S.; Kiger, T.B. The role of socioeconomic status in SAT-freshman grade relationships across gender and racial subgroups. Educ. Meas. Issues Pract. 2016, 35, 21–28. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Powers, D.E.; Rock, D.A. Effects of coaching on SAT I: Reasoning test scores. J. Educ. Meas. 1999, 36, 93–118. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hannon, B. Test anxiety and performance-avoidance goals explain gender differences in the SAT-V, SAT-M, and overall SAT scores. Personal. Individ. Differ. 2012, 53, 816–820. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Hannon, B. Hispanics’ SAT scores: The influences of level of parental education, performance-avoidance goals, and knowledge about learning. Hisp. J. Behav. Sci. 2015, 37, 204–222. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hannon, B. Not all factors contribute equally to European-American and Hispanic students’ SAT scores. J. Intell. 2019, 7, 18. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shewach, O.R.; McNeal, K.D.; Kuncel, N.R.; Sackett, P.R. Bunny hill or black diamond: Differences in advanced Course-Taking in college as a function of cognitive ability and high school GPA. Educ. Meas. Issues Pract. 2019, 38, 25–35. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coyle, T. Predictive validity of non-g residuals of tests: More than g. J. Intell. 2014, 2, 21–25. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Coyle, T.R.; Snyder, A.C.; Richmond, M.C.; Little, M. SAT non-g residuals predict course specific GPAs: Support for investment theory. Intelligence 2015, 51, 57–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wai, J.; Lubinski, D.; Benbow, C.P. Creativity and occupational accomplishments among intellectually precocious youths. J. Educ. Psychol. 2005, 97, 484–492. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Park, G.; Lubinski, D.; Benbow, C.P. Contrasting intellectual patterns predict creativity in the arts and sciences: Tracking intellectually precocious youth over 25 years. Psychol. Sci. 2007, 18, 948–952. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wai, J. Investigating america’s elite: Cognitive ability, education, and sex differences. Intelligence 2013, 41, 203–211. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Swami, V.; Furnham, A.; Maakip, I.; Ahmad, M.S.; Nawi, N.H.M.; Voo, P.S.K.; Christopher, A.N.; Garwood, J. Beliefs about the meaning and measurement of intelligence: A cross-cultural comparison of American, British, and Malaysian undergraduates. Appl. Cognit. Psychol. 2008, 22, 235–246. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hunt, E.; Jaeggi, S. Challenges for research on intelligence. J. Intell. 2013, 1, 36–54. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Duckworth, A.L.; Peterson, C.; Matthews, M.D.; Kelly, D.R. Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 2007, 92, 1087–1101. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Credé, M.; Tynan, M.C.; Harms, P.D. Much ado about grit: A meta-analytic synthesis of the grit literature. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 2017, 113, 492–511. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Krapohl, E.; Rimfeld, K.; Shakeshaft, N.G.; Trzaskowski, M.; McMillan, A.; Pingault, J.B.; Asbury, K.; Harlaar, N.; Kovas, Y.; Dale, P.S.; et al. The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2014, 111, 15273–15278. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ayorech, Z.; Plomin, R.; Stumm, S.V. Using DNA to predict educational trajectories in early adulthood. Dev. Psychol. 2019, 55, 1088–1095. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Jaschik, S. New SAT Score: Adversity. Available online: https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2019/05/20/college-board-will-add-adversity-score-everyone-taking-sat#.XVwtdtGHmL4.link (accessed on 27 November 2019).
© 2019 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Frey, M.C. What We Know, Are Still Getting Wrong, and Have Yet to Learn about the Relationships among the SAT, Intelligence and Achievement. J. Intell. 2019, 7, 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence7040026
Frey MC. What We Know, Are Still Getting Wrong, and Have Yet to Learn about the Relationships among the SAT, Intelligence and Achievement. Journal of Intelligence. 2019; 7(4):26. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence7040026
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrey, Meredith C. 2019. "What We Know, Are Still Getting Wrong, and Have Yet to Learn about the Relationships among the SAT, Intelligence and Achievement" Journal of Intelligence 7, no. 4: 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence7040026