SAT Validity

This study examines the value of SAT Math scores for predicting first-year college math course performance, beyond HSGPA, and across colleges and universities of varying selectivity. Findings demonstrate that SAT Math scores are a highly useful tool for course placement, above and beyond HS grades, and that the validity of scores hold across institutional selectivity segments and regardless of when the SAT was taken in high school.

This synthesis of recent research studies demonstrates how SAT scores provide valuable data to inform student readiness for STEM majors, for the thoughtful implementation of academic advising and support in STEM, and for course placement decisions – across institutions of varying admission selectivity.

This study examines PSAT 8/9 score relationships with later educational outcomes in high school. Results show that PSAT 8/9 scores have strong positive relationships with the outcomes studied, including PSAT/NSMQT scores, SAT scores, and average AP Exam scores; and moderately strong relationships with HSGPA (similar to SAT score relationships with HSGPA).

This study analyzed whether the validity of SAT scores, as well as HSGPA, to predict college GPA remains stable over four years of college. Results showed that SAT scores remain consistently predictive of cumulative GPA through each year of college, and these findings hold for all student and institutional subgroups examined. Through each year of college, the SAT added unique and useful information above HSGPA to predict student cumulative GPA. These findings support the value of using SAT scores in campus admission, placement, scholarship, and academic advising decisions.

Previous research has examined undergraduate student performance changes pre- and post-covid, overall and by institutional subgroupings. The current study expands upon this research by examining college readiness trends (SAT, HSGPA, FYGPA) across student subgroups of interest, notably by gender, historically less represented students in higher education, and first-generation students. Findings showed that trends differed by the college readiness measure studied, as well as by student subgroup.

This study examines relationships between SAT Reading and Writing section scores and performance in first-year English and Writing university coursework, and more generally all university coursework outside of Math, for international students studying in U.S. four-year institutions. Results showed that the reading and writing section score can be a powerful measure to assist institutions with understanding how an international student is likely to perform in university, with stronger reading and writing section scores associated with stronger performance in university coursework delivered in English.

This study analyzed the extent to which SAT scores affirm, exceed, or fall short of students’ HSGPAs, within the 2023 high school graduating class. Findings show that for most students – including underrepresented minority students – submitting a score would likely only strengthen their application. When we analyze the size and composition of these student SAT-HSGPA performance groups over time, we see very stable trends. This analysis can inform discussions of the importance of multiple measures in the college application process.

Over the past several years, content experts, psychometricians, and researchers have been hard at work developing, refining, and studying the digital SAT. This paper shares key learnings from research studies that have informed the design and development of the digital SAT and our understanding of how well the assessment is working for its intended uses.

A college GPA of 2.00 or higher has signified that a student has made acceptable academic progress and avoided academic probation. This study examined two long-term academic outcomes, completion, and cumulative GPA, of students enrolled at four-year institutions, particularly those with first-year GPAs between 2.00 and 2.99, often referred to as the murky middle. Results were disappointing in terms of their later outcomes. Given the implications of a low but acceptable first-year GPA, early identification of students who may benefit from particular academic advising initiatives as they transition to college is key.

This study analyzed relationships between digital SAT scores and early college outcomes, including first-year GPA, particular course grades, and course credits earned. Results show that digital SAT scores are as predictive of college performance as paper and pencil SAT scores and they continue to meaningfully improve our ability to predict college performance above HSGPA alone. Results hold for student subgroups examined and were particularly strong for students majoring in STEM fields.

This study represents the first opportunity to examine digital SAT® score relationships with college performance. Results show that digital SAT scores are as predictive of college performance as paper and pencil SAT scores, and they continue to meaningfully improve the prediction of college performance above high school GPA alone.

This study provides initial evidence that digital SAT scores can be used in the same way as current SAT scores. The strength of the relationship between students’ digital SAT scores with their HSGPAs, PSAT/NMSQT Total scores, and Average AP Exam scores parallel the strength of the relationships between the current SAT and these measures. We expect digital SAT relationships with student outcomes, such as first-year GPA, to parallel those found with the current SAT.

This study shows that SAT scores are valuable predictors of bachelor’s degree completion in four years, including when controlling for HSGPA. Results confirm that institutions can use SAT scores with confidence when making admissions, placement, scholarship/honors programs, instructional support, and academic advising decisions.

This study provides strong evidence that the SAT can be a useful tool for understanding and evaluating student readiness for CTE programs and students’ subsequent success in these programs. In particular, we can see that many lower performing students on the SAT can still be successful in the CTE programs studied, and as expected, stronger SAT performance is associated with more positive outcomes for these students.

This study provides an updated understanding of the relationship between a student’s self-reported high school grade point average (HSGPA) and their institution-provided HSGPA, presumably based on the student’s actual high school transcript.

This study shows how the SAT and HSGPA can work together to help institutions confidently admit, place, and support students in their academic majors while promoting student opportunity and success as well as institutional health and success. Findings also show how the SAT can be used to increase diversity in STEM fields.

This study demonstrates the utility and value of Landscape context information, as well as SAT scores, and HSGPA for campus retention analyses, critical academic advising conversations, and related resource allocation on campus.

This study demonstrates the strong utility and value of SAT scores in scholarship decisions, in admission decisions to honors or other selective academic programs, for states that want to continue or start incorporating SAT scores in statewide scholarship programs, and for institutions that want to use SAT to identify top students to recruit for scholarships or selective academic programs on campus.

This document summarizes findings from recent studies that inform conversations around important campus decisions and can guide campus use of SAT scores to promote student success.

This study shares information on the utility and value of the SAT essay for use in college admission, placement, and advising.

This study shares information on SAT score relationships with college performance by key student and institutional subgroups.

This study shows strong, positive relationships between SAT section scores, test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores with domain-specific course grades earned in college, demonstrating that the SAT is sensitive to instruction in English language arts, math, science, and history/social studies.

This study shows the positive relationships between SAT scores and academic performance of international students attending colleges and universities in the U.S.

This study shows the positive relationships between SAT scores and academic performance of students attending higher education institutions outside of the U.S.

This study shows that the validity of the SAT for predicting FYGPA remains stable and strong across cohorts, and that the SAT is essentially as predictive of the longer-term college outcomes analyzed in this study as it is of first-year college outcomes.