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GamecockEngineer

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Is it still true that some states do not require all students to take the SAT (in other words, most of their students who take it are planning on going to college)? I know that has been true in the past, and that obviously skews the numbers. I am not making excuses for our state, because I know we have issues that need addressing, but it is frustrating because I don't think we're as far behind as the numbers show.

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Is it still true that some states do not require all students to take the SAT (in other words, most of their students who take it are planning on going to college)? I know that has been true in the past, and that obviously skews the numbers. I am not making excuses for our state, because I know we have issues that need addressing, but it is frustrating because I don't think we're as far behind as the numbers show.

Agree 100%. While the SC Education System has some major flaws and a lot of work to do, I don't think that it is as bad off as most perceive. I came out of the Public School System and I'm doing just fine!

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I'm not sure how South Carolina as a whole operates but I know the ones in metro Augusta are similar to GA schools in that most studenst take the SAT even if they have no real intention of going to college. I can't tell you how many of my friends from high school, who've never even stepped foot into a college, took the SAT simply because that's what we were told to do. If SC is the same, then it seems unfair because in many states only the smartest students take the SAT. So of course I would expect states like SC and GA to score lower, where most kids take it, compared to other states, where only the smartest kids participate.

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I'm not sure how South Carolina as a whole operates but I know the ones in metro Augusta are similar to GA schools in that most studenst take the SAT even if they have no real intention of going to college. I can't tell you how many of my friends from high school, who've never even stepped foot into a college, took the SAT simply because that's what we were told to do. If SC is the same, then it seems unfair because in many states only the smartest students take the SAT. So of course I would expect states like SC and GA to score lower, where most kids take it, compared to other states, where only the smartest kids participate.

Given the fact that for many of our other poor rankings in which the results of ALL students are grouped together (including those with special needs, the mentally challenged, etc.), I wouldn't doubt this at all.

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Is it still true that some states do not require all students to take the SAT (in other words, most of their students who take it are planning on going to college)? I know that has been true in the past, and that obviously skews the numbers. I am not making excuses for our state, because I know we have issues that need addressing, but it is frustrating because I don't think we're as far behind as the numbers show.

SC doesn't require it, but they do seem to encourage everyone to take it regardless of whether they are college bound or not. Other states are more selective about it.

But weren't we 49th a few years ago over Georgia (or maybe it was Arkansas), then moved back to 50th?

Either way its all a buch of BS. SAT scores are meaningless. I am not excited at all about this change in rank. I did not do well on the SAT at all, and if it was any indication on how I might do in college then I would not be in graduate school right now. You determine how well you do in college by how much effort you put into it.

Take a look at this study from Montana State University that breaks up our education system into several categories... Here is where SC ranks with the states immediately above and below:

Teacher Quality:

  • 12. Pennsylvania

    13. South Carolina

    14. New Mexico

Education Input

  • 29. Missouri

    30.South Carolina

    31. Virginia

Education Output

  • 36. California

    37. South Carolina

    38. Louisiana

Education Social Impact

  • 43. Tennessee

    44. S Carolina

    45. Louisiana

Education Efficiency

  • 25. Wisconsin

    26. South Carolina

    27. Florida

The study can be viewed here.

My point is not that this list is the magical answer to our problems, but that our education system is not as crappy as everyone thinks. It depends on how you want to look at it.

This study from Ball State University in 2001 finds that SAT score are meaningless, and confirms what we are saying. To sum it up:

"They found the larger the percentage of students taking the SAT in a state, the lower the average SAT.

In the 10 states with the highest SAT scores, an average of 8 percent of their high school students took the SAT, while 69 percent of students took the test in the 10 lowest scoring states."

*SC had about 59% of graduates from high school taking the SAT in 2003.

So take that how you want to. SC's school system does have MAJOR problems. The catch is that the places where people are moving to (i.e. CITIES) do not. Rural schools are the major problem in this state, and it is a tough challenge to overcome.

As a graduate of SC public schools, and soon two major universities in the state, I can attest that our educational system is not as bad as people make it out to be. It sure ain't havin no problems.

monsoon, can you post the link to that report on 20/20 about schools around the nation that addressed SC's education system, particularly rural spects of it (Lee County if I recall)? Some people may want to take a look at that.

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While your numbers, Spartan, indicate much more about the state's education system, I have to say that this does look good. Yea, it's only 2 places, but that's progress, even if the numbers mean next to nothing as to someone's intelligence. Hopefully our ranking will continue to rise and more students will be able to get into better universities and represent the state well. Hopefully this will one day be taken out of the equation for college acceptance, but for now: COME ON SOUTH CAROLINA... Slow and Steady wins the race. :lol:

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SAT scores don't tell how smart a person was. What I took mine about 2 and 3 years ago. Did ya'll HAVE to take the SAT when you were younger? They don't even mention ACT scores...My SAT scores were not great (A lil below 1000) but I still had a 4.3 GPA, graduated #13/200 in my class, joined all the clubs and organizations and still got accepted by EVERY school I applied too. UNC Chapell Hill, College of Charleston, Winthrop, USC, and the list goes on and on. That is NOT a test that measures intelligance.

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Is it still true that some states do not require all students to take the SAT (in other words, most of their students who take it are planning on going to college)? I know that has been true in the past, and that obviously skews the numbers. I am not making excuses for our state, because I know we have issues that need addressing, but it is frustrating because I don't think we're as far behind as the numbers show.

Mississippi only has like 10% of it's students take the SAT. Consequentially, their scores are high.

so we #49 out of 51?????

I think only 22-2.3 states take the SAT. The others take the ACT.

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The SAT is the more accepted test throughout the U.S. Many states like Alabama, Tennessee and I think Mississippi encourage their students to take the ACT, but I think their students can still take the SAT if they choose.

Hammettm, I think Georgia finished like 45 or something like that. Not sure about NC. We were just happy to get out of the cellar with the Disctrict of Columbia.

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^ I agree with you. Many different factors need to be taken into account when analyzing a state's average SAT score, with the most important being what percentage of students actually took the test to begin with. I'm not a huge fan of these SAT rankings, namely because they're used by some as way for people in other parts of the country to look down their noses at those dumb Southerners down in SC and GA. I also agree that South Carolina schools around urban areas are probably up to par with schools in other states. I'd make that same argument for Georgia. Like you say, the rural areas pull us down.

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