An Analysis of the Involvement of Ten High Schools in Scholastic Aptitude Testing Student Preparation

• Main Author: Drakulich, Elaine
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 1993
• Subjects: SAT (Educational test) > Study guides > Evaluation
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1154; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2153&context=open_access_etds

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is taken each year by two fifths of the high school graduates (Cameron, 1989). The perception that high SAT scores will either open the door of selective colleges and generate scholarships or that low SAT scores will close off opportunities for the rest of one’ life, makes virtually every student who invests the three hours of time required to take the test extremely anxious about doing as well as possible (Whitla, 1988). Significant relationships between identified preparation techniques and the perceived effectiveness of those techniques by students and staff can be very useful information for educators when counseling and/or assisting students who want to improve their performance on the SAT. This study describes perceptual opinions from students, teachers, counselors, and administrators from 10 Portland, Oregon metropolitan area schools about the effectiveness of three SAT preparation techniques. The following research questions were examined: 1. What is the perceived effectiveness of three SAT preparation techniques: SAT computer programs, SAT preparation classes, and specific SAT information taught in general classes? 2. Are students who regard the SAT as important more likely to know about, use, and perceive effective the three preparation techniques than students who do not? 3. Are students who regard the SAT as important more likely to perceive their teachers or administrators as valuing the SAT than students who do not? 4. Are students who perceive that their teachers or administrators regard the SAT as important more likely to perceive the preparation techniques effective than students who do not? The results of this study indicated some specific groups of students and teachers did perceive one preparation technique to be effective. Their perceptions validated belief in specific SAT information taught in general classes as an effective preparation technique. It also revealed that there was lack of awareness, use, and perceived effectiveness of both SAT computer programs and SAT preparation classes. Lastly, the study showed that both students and teachers who perceived the SAT to be important, agreed that their administrators valued the SAT.