The SAT’s Adversity Index and Its Impact on Suburban Connecticut and Westchester County, NY

Not good.

That’s the simple answer.

Let me explain more fully and let me also be clear that I am not commenting on the adversity index’s policy from the perspective of policy but rather as an educational consultant to parents from the affluent suburbs of Connecticut and Westchester County, NY.

The College Board has announced that a separate score will be part of their SAT score report.  In quick sum, the adversity index measures on a scale from 1-100 the test-taker’s background.  Someone with a low score, say anything below 20, comes from a wealthy area, attends an excellent high school, and has a family background with high education and togetherness.  Someone with a high score, say above 80,  will have come from an impoverished area, attend a low performing high school, and has a family background with low education and separation.  (Single-parent is one of the adversity categories.  I’m not sure what that means in relation to divorce with two involved parents but presumably it means one parent is not involved)

Our clients will mostly have low scores.

I don’t know how colleges will factor the adversity index into the equation but I’m pretty sure the easiest way to do so would be simply adding the number to the total score.  So for example, a student with a 1200 and an adversity score of 20 would have a 1220 and a student with an 1160 but a diversity score of 80 would have a 1240.

Even more reason to dig into SAT prep this summer.