PrepScholar's $10,000 Replace the SAT/ACT Scholarship

Description

Nearly all high school students applying to college need to take standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. Colleges use these tests to compare students from around the world on equal footing. For example, although it might be easier to get a high GPA at one school compared to another, the SAT and ACT put all test takers on the same playing field. Colleges then use your test score with the rest of your application to gauge your educational preparation and potential for success.

But these tests show some problems. Both the SAT and ACT show only weak relationships to success in college. Scores on the SAT and ACT also correlate strongly with income. The SAT is being redesigned in 2016 to try to address some of these issues. Some schools are becoming test-optional, allowing applications without test scores.

With all this in mind, our scholarship challenges you - design your own standardized test to replace the SAT and ACT.

This is a complex issue, and we want to hear from you. We’re awarding a $10,000 scholarship to the best submission. We're pretty easy to apply to, requiring just an essay submitted through our online form. We also hope this will be fun for you to think about.

What makes for a strong application?

Strong submissions are thoughtful and well-reasoned. They look beyond suggesting that the tests be dismantled altogether or comedic ideas (“we should test everyone on knitting!”).

Instead, we're looking for ideas about a realistic test that’s different from the SAT/ACT and improves significantly on these tests. We're looking for big, bold ideas that can change how people think about what standardized tests should do.

Strong submissions would also:

• show insight into why standardized tests exist, and how colleges would use your test as part of their admissions process process
• give details about what’s being tested and how
• consider how students would prepare for your test, and whether what they learn would be applicable to their success in the future
• not need to be perfect. You don't need to have thought through every single detail. We're looking more for big, interesting ideas.

Here are some questions to guide your thinking:

• What skills are needed in today's high school graduates and college students?
• How do we best evaluate those skills?
• How do we test millions of students efficiently and cost-effectively?
• How would students prepare for this test? Does it give any group of students an unfair advantage?

Rules:

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited high school or college to be eligible to apply.
• Only one entry is allowed per student.
• Submissions should be in essay form, with a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 10,000.
• We don’t require your GPA or test scores on submission. If you’re chosen as a winner, we’ll ask you to submit a transcript and verify your enrollment.
• If submissions are strong, we may award runner-up prizes.

Detailed rules will be posted when the contest opens for submission.

How to Apply

Submissions open on February 1, 2015, with a deadline of June 30, 2015. You'll apply online through this website. Results will be announced within 30 days after the deadline.