Do you think they accurately predict a person's success in life?

My roommate seems to think that high standardized test scores indicate future success. What I don't like about that attitude is that it doesn't consider a person's motivation, connections or anything else. What about people who excel in the work environment instead of the academic environment? Do things just even out over time?

5/18/2010 11:21:55 AM

It just indicates how well you can memorize information and take a test.

5/18/2010 11:31:57 AM

it's the most fair way to compare students at different schools

5/18/2010 11:34:43 AM

it's all statistics. sure, someone who does poorly on these test may be more successful in life, but that's the minority. there is probably strong & significant statistical evidence showing that people who do well on these tests are much more likely to be successful in life. it's not perfect, but nothing is.

5/18/2010 11:36:37 AM

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"Do you think they accurately predict a person's success in life?"

That obviously depends on how you define "success in life", but yes, I would think that there is probably some correlation between academic scores and, say, income.

5/18/2010 11:38:49 AM

It measures the person's persistance and work ethic in some ways, which is part of the key to success. Then again, it also depends on what you consider a success. Of course there many other variables that determine what happens to you in the future, dumb luck being sometimes just as important (but independent) factor.

5/18/2010 11:39:23 AM

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"Do you think they accurately predict a person's success in life?"

The assumption here is that when you say "success in life" you mean "success in career", correct? If so, your roommate speaks the truth. Whether standardized tests, grading systems, and other quantitative measures should be given such weight is irrelevant. The reality is such measures are heavily relied because, while far from perfect, such measures have been judged to be the truest and most cost effective.

5/18/2010 11:47:49 AM

I just think that after you work for say, 10 years, your scores are somewhat irrelevant to how successful you will be. It's all about how you apply that knowledge vs. how well you learned it.

5/18/2010 11:54:42 AM

^ Of course. The effects or GPA, standardized test scores, etc. are inherently limited to the type of school one can attend and the relative benefits of attending said school as it pertains to future opportunities. Still, those benefits can be extremely meaningful. From there, results are important, not scores.

5/18/2010 12:25:32 PM

something like the SAT is a test of someones basic knowledge and understanding. Its largely irrelevent as a predictor of success, but it is useful in detecting problems in schools.

GPA is more a combination of measuring specific knowledge + the ability to trudge through intensely boring work.

5/18/2010 12:40:42 PM

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"It just indicates how well you can memorize information and take a test. "

This may be true in some of the English sections such as analogies (I don't think they have those on SAT anymore), but most of these tests require application of knowledge.

5/18/2010 1:05:33 PM

the problem with GPA's is that they aren't comparable across different fields of study or places of study. i.e. 4.0 in Nuclear Engineering isn't the same as a 4.0 in Comm and a 4.0 at EZU isn't the same as a 4.0 at Harrrrrvard

5/18/2010 1:19:15 PM