Cultural Disparities of SAT Scores and the Influence on Higher Education Opportunities for African American and Latino Students
Inequalities in the distribution of education resources and cultural identification can lead to lower SAT scores for African American and Latino students. By using SAT scores as one of the primary sources to determine admission to institutions of higher education, educators may be denying minority students admission to a variety of colleges and universities, depriving the student of his or her best choice and the college of an engaged and diverse student body, and contributing to the perpetuation of inequalities in the system. The evidence contained in this literature review shows that, given the current system, those students’ SAT scores do not show a lower aptitude for school, nor do they predict a less successful college career. They merely show that, in addition to negotiating a complex and unfamiliar process, African American and Latino students must also contend with subtle and varied barriers to academic preparation. It follows logically that this added burden results in lower scores. Educators can correct the inherent unfairness in the system by becoming aware of the reasons for those lower scores, and by seeking out better ways to measure past academic success and predict college behavior.
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