When you’re preparing for college, the SAT exam can become the center of your focus. You put countless hours into revision and practical preparations for the day itself, and it feels like this test is the make or break point of your future.

However, things are changing. Particularly since the pandemic, not all colleges require applicants to submit a SAT score, as they recognise that even the most well-rounded student may not perform at their best on one specific day. Yet, many people still choose to take the SAT in case they need it, or as a marker of their readiness for college life.

If you’ve taken the SAT and now your plans have changed, or if you’re still at college and are applying for your first job, you may still feel that your SAT matters. In this post, we explore the benefits a SAT score can have – as well as why it isn’t the be-all and end-all.

Wider benefits of the SAT for employers

It might feel like it, but taking the SAT isn’t just about academic prowess. It’s a demonstration of your problem-solving and critical thinking skills, which are relevant in many situations outside of the classroom, especially once you enter the workforce. These skills can help you analyze difficult situations in a fair, evidence-based manner and come up with balanced solutions.

Additionally, taking exams in general can demonstrate good time management and commitment to learning and development. Studying for the SAT is hard; doing well can show employers that you’re able to focus and are able to dedicate yourself to a task. It also shows that you’re able to balance several areas of study at the same time. Whilst arguably your grade point average (GPA) also demonstrates this, your SAT score is one clear number that employers can glance at.

Concerns about the SAT in hiring practices

Exams aren’t everything

Asking for a candidate’s SAT score can be a controversial move for employers. There’s an argument that filtering applicants by their SAT score isn’t the best way to find the right person for the job – especially if the role doesn’t require top-tier academic performance in a certain area. Just because someone is good at exams doesn’t indicate that they are the most intelligent. Plus, even the smartest people can have a bad day, or struggle in an exam environment.

Potential for bias and reduction in diversity

Sitting the SAT doesn’t have to be a one-time thing – you can resit it multiple times until you get a score you’re happy with, or until time for college applications runs out. However, each time that you take the test, it costs money. This means that people from lower-income households may not have the same number of opportunities to get a good score. Additionally, these candidates are unlikely to be able to afford specialist SAT tutors to help them on an individual basis. Therefore, the SAT score can present a biased picture of how suitable someone is for both college and a job role.

On top of this, there are many people with protected characteristics who may not perform as well on the SAT. The SAT is a formal, written exam, which doesn’t suit everyone’s learning style. Using it as a generalized marker for whether someone should get a job automatically discounts a percentage of applicants. Even if employers are able to look past an SAT score at the application stage, they may unconsciously let it influence their choices at the interview.

As a knock-on effect, workplaces will become less diverse, reducing the number of different perspectives in the room. Especially where not all colleges now require the SAT, removing this barrier in the workplace feels like a relatively easy way to encourage a wider range of applicants.

Finding the right employer for you

Whilst it might seem like everything now, your SAT may not matter to a progressive, fair employer in the future, especially if you’re not applying for an academic-focused role. However, in some industries such as STEM subjects, a strong SAT score can give a good impression. It shouldn’t be the only thing your employer looks at, but it can give an indicator of how well you might cope with the demands of your new career.