toshiba
Footballguy
SAT will assign a new score that factors in where you live and how much your parents make
The nonprofit group that administers the SAT will assign an adversity score to each student who takes the test to reflect social and economic backgrounds, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny that colleges are facing over the admissions process and the diversity of their student bodies.
"There are a number of amazing students who may have scored less (on the SAT) but have accomplished more," David Coleman, chief executive officer of the College Board, told the Journal. "We can't sit on our hands and ignore the disparities of wealth reflected in the SAT."
The number will be calculated using 15 factors, the Journal reported, including the crime rate and poverty levels of a student's high school and neighborhood. Colleges will be able to see the number when considering applicants, but students themselves won't be told their scores.
According to the Journal, 50 colleges used the adversity score in a beta test last year, and the College Board plans to expand the program to 150 institutions this fall.
CNN is reaching out to the College Board for confirmation of The Wall Street Journal's report.
According to the Journal, the score does not account for a student's race. Students are rated on a scale of 1 to 100 based on publicly available data from records such as the US census, Coleman told the paper.
A score of 50 would be considered average, the Journal reported, while a number above 50 indicates hardship, and a number below 50 privilege.
...