Saturday College Helps Bridges Seniors With Standardized Testing

Students in the Bridges to a Brighter Future program have leadership capabilities, high grades, and extracurricular involvement. However, despite these qualifications, some Bridges seniors face serious obstacles to college admission because of their SAT or ACT scores.

Bridges to a Brighter Future students Nathan Coy and Kayla Wright. Credit: Bridges to a Brighter Future.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2009-2010 school year, students in the top economic quartile scored almost 400 points higher than students in the lowest economic quartile on the SAT. This achievement gap can be attributed to a number of factors.

1. SAT Preparation- The Princeton Review’s “Ultimate Course,” a 30 hour course that guarantees a 150 point minimum increase, starts at $999. While there are less expensive options, low-income students face a major disadvantage in the test preparation industry.
2. Underperforming schools- Low-income students often attend poorly funded schools that do not have adequate resources or highly-qualified teachers. Even without additional test preparation courses such as the Princeton Review, wealthier students who attend schools with rigorous curricula and well-trained teachers have an innate advantage.
3. Testing Expenses- The current fee to take the SAT is $49. While the SAT offers two fee-waivers for low-income students, well-off students are able to take the test as many times as necessary. Also, if the testing site is not nearby, it can be difficult for low-income students to obtain transportation.

Because of the weight given to standardized test scores in college admission decisions, Bridges works hard to make sure students are prepared to take these crucial tests through their Saturday College program. At Saturday College, Bridges holds workshops to educate students in effective testing preparation. Also, the program provides transportation to testing sites, as well as financial support for testing fees.
Bill Dingledine, an independent college counselor in Greenville, SC, has led several of these test preparation workshops for Bridges and he has also served as a private test tutor for Bridges seniors. I recently had the wonderful opportunity of speaking with Mr. Dingledine at his office, Educational Directions, Inc. Mr. Dingledine is president of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling and has thirty-five years of experience in education, as a teacher, coach, headmaster, and test preparation tutor.

Check out this podcast to hear Mr. Dingledine’s insight about low income students and standardized testing, as well as the shift to testing optional admission policies.

Dingledine Podcast by ElizabethC731