Latino Students and College Entrance Exams: How Much Do They Really Matter?

Abstract

Because many colleges and universities reduce the weight of college entrance exam (e.g., Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT]) scores for otherwise high-achieving minority students, the common wisdom has been that low SAT scores are relatively benign for Latino students with high grade point averages (GPAs). This study questioned that assumption and asked whether test scores affect other opportunities, such as scholarships; whether the scores erode the confidence of students who score low; and whether low test scores are predictive of time to complete degree or likelihood of doing postgraduate study. The studyfound that SATscores did not predictfor time to completion of a degree, college GPA, or likelihood of applying to graduate school. Students with low SAT scores were more likely to judge themselves as having lower ability than those who received high scores, independent of GPA, and almost half of the students were aware of missed opportunities as a result of their scores.