Author: Mychal Wynn
Raising SAT Scores or Choosing the Right College?
December 12, 2011
The New York Times article, “Why Does the SAT Endure?” shares the opinions of students and educators relative to the importance of the SAT and its relevance to college admissions. I would like to examine their comments within the larger college admissions and college-planning context.
Professor David Z. Hambrick, an associate professor psychology at Michigan State University states:
“The SAT works for its intended purpose—predicting success in college…the SAT is largely a measure of general intelligence. Scores on the SAT correlate very highly with scores on standardized tests of intelligence, and like IQ scores, are stable across time and not easily increased through training, coaching or practice. SAT preparation courses appear to work, but the gains are small—on average, no more than about 20 points per section.”
I would respectfully disagree with Professor Hambrick
According to College Results Online, the University of Michigan students have median SAT scores of 625 Verbal and 690 Math. The University of Michigan’s student population is 65.3 percent White, 6.3 percent Black, 11.9 percent Asian, and 4.4 percent Latino and has a 72.7 percent four-year graduation rate.
In contrast, Spelman College students’ median SAT scores of 540 Verbal and 530 Math are 22.9 percent lower than those of students accepted at the University of Michigan. However, Spelman College, whose student population is 91.2 percent Black, boasts a higher four-year graduation rate (75.5 percent) than the University of Michigan.
Contrary to Professor’s Hambrick’s beliefs, the SAT is not a predictor of general intelligence or college success. A much greater predictor is the “college choice,” i.e., where a student enrolls in college.
Fred Oswald, associate professor psychology at Rice University states:
“Decades of research findings on more than a million students indicated that the SAT can identify promising and well prepared high school students. Admissions tests predict college and university grades as well as many other academic professional outcomes.”
The median SAT scores of the freshman class at Rice University are 700 Verbal and 725 Math. The four-year graduation rate at Rice is 82.5 percent. However, despite SAT scores that are 33.2 percent higher than students at Spelman, the four-year graduation rate is only 8.5 percent higher. Subsequently, the 33 percent difference in SAT translates to less than a 10 percent in graduation rates, or college success.
Despite research evidence that suggests that SAT scores are a predictor of college success, there is other research that suggests that the SAT is racially bias. Perhaps students and parents should carefully consider how much time and money they devote to increasing SAT scores as opposed to the time and money they devote to engaging in a good college search to identify the best college for the student to attend.
Despite research evidence that suggests that SAT scores are a predictor of college success, there is other research that suggests that the SAT is racially bias. My advice to students and parents is to carefully consider how much time and money they devote to increasing SAT scores. A much better predictor of college success is:
- Ensure that students take high school classes that adequately prepare students for college, particularly the ability to think, write, and communicate
- Carefully research colleges to ensure the right fit, i.e., size of the school, average class size, graduation rates, institutional concern for student success, the overall climate and culture of the college or university
- The learning environment and institutional belief in the success of its students, i.e., “Does the college care about whether a student is successful and adequately prepared for graduate school or careers.”
Best High School Scholarship Websites
December 4, 2011
Based on user comments, I will update this blog posting on a regular basis. A variety of research studies indicate that few high schools provide students with adequate college planning or scholarship research advice. It is an unfortunate reality that many high school counselors are simply responsible for far too many students to provide students with the necessary college planning and guidance. However, any high school should be able to provide the necessary links on its website to where students might go to identify the information on their own. After all, high schools have classes, computers, students, parents, and teachers—clearly enough human and technological resources to identify the websites and sources of information.
One such high school is Bismarck High School in Bismarck, North Dakota! This is a great website and a good place to begin your college scholarship research. Let me know how your high school stacks up.
Homeland Security Internship Opportunities
December 2, 2011
Visit website: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/students
SAT/ACT Cheating Scandal
November 29, 2011
SAT/ACT Cheating Scandal
My son is taking the ACT for a second time on December 11 to raise his scores from the mid twenties to, hopefully, the high twenties or low thirties. He is among thousands of high school seniors working hard to raise their scores as a means of increasing their chances of being accepted into highly-competitive colleges and universities. While upper income and private school students have long enjoyed such advantages as access to more rigorous curricula, high-cost SAT/ACT Prep programs, tutors, and safe schools, apparently, even that isn’t enough for some students. CBS New York reported that as many as 35 affluent Long Island, New York students paid from $2500 to $3500 for others to take the SAT and ACT for them. As many as two public and three private schools were involved. While the $3500 price tag may appear high, these students, and possibly their parents, are aware that some colleges and universities award hefty scholarships based on a student’s SAT or ACT scores, while high SAT or ACT scores at many highly-competitive colleges and universities will tip the admissions decision in a student’s favor.
Having attending such highly performing schools as Great Neck North High School, North Shore Hebrew Academy, and St. Mary’s High School, these students had already enjoyed a huge advantage over other Long Island, New York students. Elaine Gross, President of ERASE Racism, wrote about the huge disparities between the highest and lowest performing Long Island Public Schools in a June 5, 2011 Newsday article:
“Consider that only 9 percent of the Island’s black students, and 14 percent of its Hispanic students, were enrolled in the top 25 percent of Long Island’s best schools in 2008-09, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
How can it be acceptable that in 2009, Hempstead had a four-year graduation rate of 50 percent and just down the street, Garden City’s rate was 96 percent? Or that in Suffolk, Central Islip’s rate was 52 percent, while its neighbor, West Islip, had a 95 percent rate? Hempstead and Central Islip have majorities of black and Hispanic students, while the other districts have white majorities.”
The Forbes Magazine article, “Why Rich Kids Are Cheating On The SAT,” suggests that the pressures on affluent children as reflected in the film, “Race to Nowhere” is to blame. However, I am struck by the arrogance of children from affluent communities, attending some of the country’s best high schools, who believe that it is their birthright to be admitted into America’s top colleges. If cheating will get them accepted, too bad for their classmates who had the morality not to cheat or the students who successfully fought an uphill battle for 13 years in low performing schools toward a dream of being admitted into Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. To all of the students who attended the best schools and still were not accepted into their first choice school, you were fortunate to have received a great K-12 education and will undoubtedly find yourself in a position of being able to be admitted (and succeed) in all, but a handful of colleges and universities throughout the country. And, to the students from low performing schools who have fought a good fight, worked their butts off, suffered through out of control classrooms and violent schools, and in spite of it all, find themselves accepted into the freshman class of one of America’s top colleges or universities—don’t you dare feel that you somehow do not belong in college classrooms alongside those from schools and communities seemingly so much more privileged. Consider that those who may arrogantly turn their nose up at you as though YOU do not belong, may very well be the same students who cheated their way in! In Dennis Biancuzzo’s blog entry, “The Culture of White Privilege” he notes:
“White culture perpetuates the ideology that white people are morally and intellectually superior to people of color. For example, many suburban white women and men think they get into college because they are ‘more intelligent’ than Chicanos, Native Americans or African Americans; when, in fact, they get into college because their high schools prepare them more effectively for college boards than do most high schools in urban areas.”
Once a child of poverty and now a parent, I am pleased that our older son was not only accepted into Amherst College, but after three years, is pleased both with his choice of college and the quality of education that he is receiving. Our younger son would love to be admitted to Amherst College or to enter into the NROTC program at Northwestern University. However, I am proud of his attitude, “Dad, I want to take the ACT again, because I believe that I can do much better. However, whatever my scores are, I am confident that the college that sees me as more than my ACT scores is where I want to go anyway.”
Colleges in the United States have the potential to be the educational equalizer. The place where children from affluence and high performing schools and children from poverty and low performing schools have equal access to a high quality education. Hopefully, college admissions officers are smart enough to look beyond the scores to the student, and parents will look beyond the scores to the importance of raising physically and emotionally healthy children. I am equally hopeful that affluent students will think twice before assuming that the students of color or those from high poverty communities are somehow undeserving of the opportunity to finally have equal access to a high quality education.
Read the stories…
DA: two more surrender in SAT scandal
Attorney: School should have handled SAT scandal
More students charged in cheating scandal
Source: More SAT arrests coming Tuesday
Sources: SAT suspects to surrender to DA
The Burger King® Scholars Program
November 29, 2011Education is a key part of success, and we focus on bringing that to students in North America through our BK Scholars Program. The BK Scholars Program is the Foundation’s flagship program, established to honor the legacy of the Burger King brand’s co-founder James W. McLamore, whose commitment to philanthropy and education made him a pillar of community service throughout his lifetime. Through the program, we award scholarships to deserving high school seniors and Burger King® employees and their families to help advance their education. Because of Jim, his legacy, and the support of franchisees, the scholars program has now awarded a total of $60 million in scholarships to more than 51,000 deserving students throughout North America since 2000.
Scholarships range from $1,000 to $60,000 and are intended to offset the cost of attending college or post-secondary vocational/technical school. Recipients are selected through an application process that takes into consideration their grade point average (GPA), work experience, extracurricular activities, financial need and community service. In 2024 alone, the Foundation awarded over $4.5 million in scholarships to nearly 4,200 students. Scholarship status updates were shared on Monday, April 20, 2024.
The application period for the 2024-2025 will open from October 15, 2024 to December 16, 2024. Scholarship recipients will be notified April 2025.
To view the scholarship eligibility requirements and to apply, visit burgerking.scholarsapply.org.
Shut Out of the Military…
November 24, 2011
I revisited the Education Trust’s report, “Shut Out of the Military: Today’s High School Education Doesn’t Mean You’re Ready for Today’s Army” with great interest. My younger son has entered the JROTC program at his high school and is in the process of applying for an NROTC College Scholarship. He is interested in joining the Marine Corps. Through his research, he has learned the importance of a four-year college degree as part of the pathway to becoming a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps:
“Potential Marine Corps Officers are young men and women of high moral standards who have or will have a four-year college degree, are physically fit, and have demonstrated potential for leadership. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and pass the initial Marine Corps physical fitness test. Additionally, applicants must take either the SAT, ACT, or AFQT/ASVAB aptitude tests. Minimum acceptable scores are: SAT – combined verbal and math scores of 1000; ACT – 22; and AFQT/ASVAB – 74. The only age requirement is that a person must be at least 20 and less than 30 (waiverable to 35) years of age at the time of commissioning. Applicants for law programs must score a minimum of 30 on a 50-point scale, or 150 on a 180-point scale, of the LSAT.
Marine Corps officers are selected from various sources, including but not limited to Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), Officer Candidates Course (OCC) Program, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Program, and United States Naval Academy.”
Not only is the pathway to becoming an officer in the military out of the reach of most high school students, pathway into the military and the resulting many post-military careers in the private and public sector are out of their reach.
According to the study:
“The study shows that many of them [today’s high school students] will be denied that ambition. Data from the Army’s enlistment examination show that, for too many of our young people, the Army and the opportunities that it offers are out of reach. This is true for men and women of all races and ethnicities, but especially for young people of color. That’s because they don’t have the reading, mathematics, science, and problem-solving abilities that it takes to pass the enlistment exam, which is designed specifically to identify the skills and knowledge needed to be a good soldier.”
The United States Army’s Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is the test that determines if applicants qualify for enlistment, and, if they do, what occupations—and what levels of those occupations—they are prepared for.
The ASVAB tests:
- Word Knowledge
- Paragraph Comprehension
- Arithmetic Reasoning
- Mathematics Knowledge
- General Science
- Mechanical Comprehension
- Electronics Information
- Auto and Shop Information
- Assembling Objects
Additionally, the Armed Forces Qualification Tests (AFQT) measures cognitive ability by grouping the subtests of the ASVAB (Math Knowledge, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, and Paragraph Comprehension). Each branch of the military has a minimum AFQT score for entry into their branch of service.
Service Branch and Minimum Required AFQT Score
Army—31
Navy—35
Marines—32
Air Force—40
Coast Guard—45
In addition to meeting the minimum requirements for enlistment, the ASVAB and AFQT scores are used to determine an enlistee’s Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), special opportunities, and high-level career paths, higher active-duty experience and pay, and prepare enlistee’s for better post-military jobs and careers.
An analysis of the ASVAB data from 2004-2009 reveals:
- Over 20 percent of high school graduates do not meet the minimum standard necessary to enlist (which includes physical ability, no criminal record, and the necessary academic proficiency)
- Over 20 percent of students who were qualified to apply failed to achieve the minimum qualifying score on the ASVAB
- 16 percent of Whites failed to qualify
- 29 percent of Hispanics failed to qualify
- 39 percent of Blacks failed to qualify
- States with the highest number of students failing to qualify were:
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Washington, DC
- South Carolina
- States with the highest number of students with qualifying scores were:
- Wyoming
- Indiana
- Idaho
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- The ASVAB scores of many students who qualify for enlistment are so low that such students are excluded from assignments that provide high-level training and education
- There is wide disparity between state educational systems and how well they prepare students for college, careers, and military service
The NROTC programs that my son is currently researching are at Harvard, Yale, Morehouse, Hampton, Northwestern, George Washington, and USC. The very competitive admissions requirements for the colleges and the competitiveness for receiving a NROTC scholarship puts a military career and a world-class education clearly out of the reach of far too many students.
Students interested in pursuing a military career or applying to one of the U.S. Service Academies must commit themselves to becoming better students and to maximizing their high school opportunities. Students who find themselves attending a high school that does not sufficiently prepare them for achieving a high score on the ASVAB will have to the initiative and accept personal responsibility for self-study, identifying a tutor, or identifying a test preparation class.
“You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.” — Richard Bach
Why College-Bound Students Must Have a Plan!
November 20, 2011It is important for parents and students to understand that college admissions is anything but fair. In the Inside Higher Ed article, “Silver Spoon Admissions,” Scott Jaschik writes,
“So perhaps it’s not surprising that when then-Hollwood übermogul Michael Ovitz’s son wanted to enroll in 1999 [Brown University], Ovitz (father, not son) sent word to Brown administrators. As described in a book about to be released, Brown admissions officers found the academic record of the younger Ovitz not close to what would be appropriate for an offer of admission. But they were pressured to admit him anyway, with top administrators far more concerned about the abilities of the elder Ovitz—to host receptions for Brown administrators to raise money, to bring movie stars to campus, and presumably to help build Brown’s endowment.”
Such favored admission status for America’s elite is also profiled in the book, “The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class buys Its Way Into Elite Colleges –and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates” by Daniel Golden and the Inside Higher Ed article, “Legacy of Bias” by Scott Jaschik.
The children of alumni are referred to as legacy applicants. Such children whose parents graduated from the college can have a significant advantage over other applicants, for example:
- Princeton admitted 41.7 percent of legacy applicants and less than 10 percent of applicants for the general pool of students
- Notre Dame’s legacy admissions is double that of regular applicants
With high school counselors being overburdened, college admissions being hugely competitive, and with privileged, legacy, and well-connected families snatching up more and more of the precious few admissions slots at America’s top colleges and universities, it is more important than ever for parents and students to have a plan. Not just a good plan, but a great plan! Begin by reading Daniel Golden’s book, “The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class Buys Its Way Into Elite colleges—and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates” so that you have an appreciation of how competitive and how unfair the college admissions process can be. Then read my book, “A High School Plan for Students with College Bound Dreams” and develop a comprehensive plan to increase the changes of getting accepted into your top choice colleges.
Counselors Do Not Have Time to Provide Counseling!
November 20, 2011If parents and students are relying on their middle school and high school counselors to provide the necessary guidance for college and career preparation then they are likely to find themselves in trouble. The research has long indicated that counselors are overwork, overloaded with non-counseling responsibilities, and responsible for far too many students. The Education Week article, “Counselors See Conflicts in Carrying Out Mission” highlights the challenges facing middle school and high school counselors and provide startling news for parents and students:
- 9 out of 10 counselors believe that ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education and that they graduate well-equipped for college and careers, however, less than 4 out of 10 believe that their schools share such goals
- Less than 2 out of 10 (19 percent) counselors in high-poverty schools said their college and career readiness was part of their school’s day-to-day mission
- Counselors reported caseloads of 368 students per counselor in most schools and 427 students per counselor in high poverty schools
- Counselors reported that a disproportionate amount of their training is directed at crisis intervention, group counseling, and human growth as opposed to college and career planning
The CollegeBoard identifies 8 components of College and Career Readiness Counseling, as essential to expanding college and career preparation:
- College Aspirations: Build a college-going culture based on early college awareness by nurturing in students the confidence to aspire to college and the resilience to overcome challenges along the way.
- Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness: Advance students’ planning, preparation, participation and performance in a rigorous academic program that connects to their college and career aspirations and goals.
- Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement: Ensure equitable exposure to a wide range of extracurricular and enrichment opportunities that build leadership, nurture talents and interests, and increase engagement with school.
- College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes: Provide early and ongoing exposure to experiences and information necessary to make informed decisions when selecting a college or career that connects to academic preparation and future aspirations.
- College and Career Assessments: Promote preparation, participation and performance in college and career assessments by all students.
- College Affordability Planning: Provide students and families with comprehensive information about college costs, options for paying for college, and the financial aid and scholarship processes and eligibility requirements, so they are able to plan for and afford a college education.
- College and Career Admission Processes: Ensure that students and families have an early and ongoing understanding of the college and career application and admission processes so they can find the postsecondary options that are the best fit with their aspirations and interests.
- Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment: Connect students to school and community resources to help the students overcome barriers and ensure the successful transition from high school to college.
Presentations at the NABSE Conference
November 18, 2011Visionary Leaders Principal’s Institute (Presented at the NABSE Conference in New Orleans, LA)
At today’s Visionary Leaders Principal’s Institute participants were led through important strategic discussions as a precursor to identifying the people, programs, and practices needed to cultivate a high-performing school culture. In attendance were school board members, administrators, teachers, staff persons, and community representatives from throughout the United States and Canada.
Some of the important information shared was:
- Most children want to attend college despite the reality that few children are considered “college ready” after graduating from high school
- Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, the former Marva Collin’s Westside Preparatory School, Urban Prep Charter High School, and Morehouse College have proven that high achievement can be achieved with the nation’s lowest performing student group (i.e., African-American males)
- Each school must identify the “Champions” needed to reach students, implement programs, or transform school culture
- Each school must conceptualized the necessary strategies to support their Champions and identify the funding sources to ensure that their Champions are able to meet the needs of all students–from the highest performing to the lowest performing
Click here for the Powerpoint presentation…
During my second presentation, participants were led through some of the issues outlined in the book, “Increasing Achievement & Inspiring Parent Involvement” necessary to sensitize staff persons to the real issues confronting students and families.
Participants explored the importance of engaging staff persons, mentors, and volunteers in such conversations as:
- How a focus on learning necessitates developing an understanding of students and families
- Understanding what has shaped the world view of students of color and families living in poverty
- Understanding how to ease student anxiety
- Understanding the importance of using mistakes to learn and not to punish
- The importance of making connections to student interests and connecting students to themselves
- The importance of meeting the needs of your best parents
Click here for the Powerpoint presentation…
STEM Majors Beware
November 13, 2011A recent New York Times article, “Why Science Majors Change Their Minds (It’s Just So Darn Hard)” reminded me of my own change of heart. I entered Northeastern Universityas an Electrical Engineering Major and eventually changed to the College of Business with a dual major in business and financial systems design. Engineering was not what I thought that it would be and business and financial systems design was much better suited to my interests in business management and consulting. More than the difficulty of the classes, my reflections are directed more at the lack of guidance that I received in high school toward selecting a college or college major. I do not recall my high school counselor doing much more than reviewing my transcript to determine that I could possibly go to college, however, that was the extent of his guidance. He gave me a brochure for ITT (Illinois Institute of Technology) and wished me well.
For today’s students, future jobs are in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related fields (STEM) as President Obama has affirmed and economists have long proclaimed. However, we continue to do a terrible job teaching and preparing K – 12 students in science, technology, and mathematics on the front end and a comparably terrible job teaching and supporting such students once they get to college. Subsequently, students pursuing such areas of studies at the college level are ill prepared for the rigor of such disciplines. The New York Times article reports that:
“Freshmen in college wade through a blizzard of calculus, physics and chemistry in lecture halls with hundreds of other students. And then many wash out.”
- 40 percent of students planning engineering and science majors eventually switch to other majors or fail to get any degree
- The numbers increase to 60 percent when pre-medical students, who typically have the strongest SAT scores and high school science preparation, are included
However, after accounting for the lack of K – 12 preparation and the lack of college support, many students still find college-level coursework in engineering and math abstract and boring, while many such students find majors in business and the arts more passionate and engaging. Again, this should be pointed out to students in their secondary schools as they are contemplating their college majors and making important decisions regarding their high school course schedule. I too, found my math and science classes at Northeastern boring and abstract while my business management and computer programming classes were challenging and engaging. However, I have no regrets at having chosen Northeastern University, which has the largest cooperative education program in the world. I had 18 months of full-time professional experience at graduation and had my choice of jobs throughout the country, eventually accepting a job at IBM in San Jose California as a systems design analyst.
Although Northeastern was the only college that I applied to, before wasting thousands of dollars, parents and students need to take a much closer look at the colleges that students apply to and the majors that students select. Perhaps, this is even more important for students pursuing STEM-related careers. Choosing the right college can make all of the difference between getting a degree and not getting a degree.
According to the United Negro College Fund:
- Nine of the top ten colleges that graduate the most African Americans who go on to earn Ph.D.s are HBCUs
- Spelman College and Bennett College produce over half of the nation’s African American female doctorates in all science fields
- Xavier University (LA) is the #1 producer of African Americans entering medical school
- Seven of the eleven producers of African Americans undergraduate degrees in engineering are HBCUs (including #1 North Carolina A&T)
- The top three producers of African American undergraduate degrees in health professions are Southern University, Florida A&M, and Howard
- Eight of the top nine producers of African American undergraduate degrees in mathematics are Morehouse, South Carolina State, Alabama State, Spelman, Southern, Tennessee State, Hampton, and Howard
Clearly, some colleges are experiencing much higher levels of success with students in STEM-related fields.