SAT a Valid Gauge of College Performance, Analysis Finds

The SAT is a valid predictor of performance in college for early and later years, according to a new analysis of a multitude of studies funded by the College Board, owner of the test.

The study is the latest salvo in an ongoing debate over the value of the college admissions test, which UC President Richard Atkinson has proposed dropping as a requirement for admission to the UC system. Atkinson says the test is unfair to many students and fails to measure what they learned in high school.

One of the other main criticisms of the test has been that it does not accurately predict performance in college--a conclusion that the College Board-funded study rebuts. The analysis found that SATs best predict grade-point averages during the first semester of college but also effectively predict GPAs later. The study found that the SAT also predicts success on state nursing board examinations.