The SAT: Where did it come from and why is it important?

The SAT

Created by educators to democratize access to higher education, the SAT^® is a highly reliable and valid standardized measure of college readiness used in the admission process at nearly all four-year colleges and universities in the United States, including test-optional institutions.

The content on the SAT reflects the reading, mathematics and writing curricula taught in high school classrooms. Uniquely, the SAT also measures how well students can apply their knowledge, a factor that is critical to college and career success.

The SAT is a fair and valid predictor of college success for students of all backgrounds, and SAT performance data illustrate that success on the SAT is linked to the type and rigor of course work completed during high school. Studies regularly demonstrate that the best predictor of college success is the combination of SAT scores and high school grades.

Nearly three million students take the SAT each academic year via nearly 7,000 test centers in more than 170 countries. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org/SATPress.

-- From The College Board website.