#SAT/ACT Testing

In light of the breaking news, Ivy Experience wanted to share with its families a concise review of the SAT Adversity Index:

  • What factors are considered for the Adversity Index? The focus of the number is on the student’s environment, and not the student as an individual. Factors include contextual neighborhood challenges and high school educational statistics. Click here to read more specifics.
  • What factors are NOT considered? Race is not considered as part of the Adversity Index. A student’s individual obstacles and challenges (e.g. disabilities, disease, or death of loved ones) are also not considered.
  • Can I know my student’s number? No. Only colleges will see the Adversity Index number. Students and parents will not be able to see the number, which is on a scale of 1 to 100.
  • What does this mean for my student? Ultimately, nothing. The factors listed above have been considered by university admissions officers for years. College Board has simply placed a number on them now. Furthermore, it is up to each individual college how it uses the score, if at all.
  • Is the Adversity Index really new? No. College Board has been testing this Adversity Index for several years. Some colleges have even already incorporated it, including Yale.
  • What comes next? The list of schools who use the Adversity Score will grow to about 150 colleges in this year’s application cycle. Next year, all colleges will have access to this score.
  • What is the most positive take on this news? College Board is trying to do its part to promote access and equity to higher education by adding another data point to the conversation of college admissions.
  • What is the most negative take on this news? The Adversity Index is yet another example of a lack of transparency in the college application process. Furthermore, in addition to being redundant, adding no true new information to college applications, the Index fails to consider each student as an individual.