Thread by @jennthetutor

Three big myths the crowd opposed to #testoptionalnow Puts out without data

1. That when standardized test scores are dropped out of the equation other factors get weighed more. Where’s the proof? Does common data show this. Seriously, if you have proof show it
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2. That test prep only gives a couple points and it doesn’t matter- 20-70 sat points can shift a list in some score ranges

@CoachHixonDimes taught me yesterday that GA scholarships for zell/hope require 1200 sat or 26 act. So if you are at a 1180 and not 1200 it matters 3/

Also test prep can produce about 100-200 sat points and that is low for me, that’s a bad result. I’m never happy with 100-200 sat points unless you were at a 1400. 4/

I have rare case (who I love) that just have anxiety and aren’t good test takers despite working their butts off... it breaks my heart but it happens 5/

3. That grade inflation is rampant so SAT/ACT are needed... grade inflation, when it does occur, is mointored and accounted for and weighed. grade inflation data comes from college board. 6/

College Board’s own data proves grade inflation isn’t significant and rampant but they “forget” to publish this information 7/

Some good follows on this are @icfirat @AcceptGroup @akilbello @MerritJones @aebrennen @stu_voice. @paultough has a great book on it and @JonBoeckenstedt has great blog with multiple post 8/

And listen I get it because when I came on twitter I told @paultough that I was worried that disadvantaged kids with no access to AP and IB but who shine on test would not have a fair shot 9/

Then @akilbello and @AcceptGroup said “hey girl, test optional isn’t test blind”

Kids with great scores CAN SUBMIT THEM TO COLLEGE UNDER TEST OPTIONAL 10/

then said “just because that was your situation where your SAT made up for your freshman gpa doesn’t mean the data shows that’s a majority of kids situations”

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And I read @paultough and find out I’m a statistically rarity. Most kids are hurt by their sat rather than helped because high gpa/low sat is a more common trend 12/

And then as my pro bono group went from 3-4 kids sporadically to 10 kids consistently for months I realized most of these kids are only a few tutoring sessions away from getting the score but... THEY CANT AFFORD TUTORING SO THEY DONT IMPROVE 13/

And before you Khan Academy is... read @paultough

And before you there are self study books for free at the library, go see if they are checked out for months and see if there are good ones there 14/

And before you “well what about amazon it’s not that expensive” please note that the books I would never ever use or recommend because they are awful are top sellers 15/

Kids don’t yield that much due to self-study because self-study is built on the lie that if you study a couple more concepts you get better... but you don’t... because you also have to be taught HOW TO TAKE THE TEST 16/

And some kids get lucky through a series of practices test and pick up patterns BUT MOST KIDS JUST DONT 17/

Then you have to factor in that MANY KIDS CANT AFFORD TO TEST. So once they burn through 2 free test waivers they are done... and it usually takes 3-4 test to get your best score if you aren’t trained... 18/

I can’t believe I did 19 tweets on this series... tweeting about testing at almost 2 am... what a nerd 19/