Names: Ann-Renee Rubia, Manuel Sojan, Samah Islam
Background
One of the reasons the new SAT was introduced in March 2016 was to introduce more equity for students of diverse economic backgrounds/household incomes. Many previous studies have indicated that there was a positive correlation between preparedness for the SAT and household income, due to paid SAT coaching, access to more resources, and better funded schools. We wanted to test if the new SAT is in fact more accommodating for students of various socioeconomic statuses. We will achieve this by anonymously surveying freshman students at CCNY, who have taken the new SAT and the old SAT, and asking what their household income is. Then we’ll compare their household income to the scores of their old and new SAT scores.
Research question
Does household income have an effect on the scores of the old and new SAT?
Hypothesis
Because it is very difficult and unlikely to completely eliminate correlation between SAT scores and income, there should still be a correlation between the new SAT and income level. However, based on the goals and objectives of the introduction of the new SAT in 2016, there should be a lesser correlation between SAT scores and income on the new exam versus the older one.
Independent and dependent variables
Independent variables: Family income
Dependent Variables: Old and new sat score
Data collection
A survey will be sent out to students from the Macaulay Honors program and Honors program at The City College of New York inquiring of their household incomes and their results on the old and new SAT. This will include whether they chose to take the essay portion of the exam (for those who took the new examination) as well as if they took both the new and old SAT.
Survey questions
Household income?
Have you taken both the old and new SAT?
How did you score on the old SAT?
How did you score on the new SAT?
Did you take the optional essay portion of the new SAT?
Data Analysis and Presentation
To analyze the raw data, an ANOVA test will be conducted between the different income levels for both the old and the new SAT exam. For the old exam, there should be a statistical difference between the different income brackets and SAT scores. However, for the new SAT, there should be no statistical difference. The results of the ANOVA will be tabulated and displayed on the poster board (this will be labeled as Table 1). A linear regression analysis will also be conducted, and a graph showing the correlation (if any) between income level and SAT scores will be plotted (for both SAT exams). There should be a weaker correlation between SAT scores and income level for the new exam. The scatter plot will be labeled as Figure 1. In addition to the ANOVA and the scatter plot, the three main measures of central tendency—mean, median, and mode—will also be calculated and evaluated.
Citations
Reed, B. (2015, June 3). The New SAT: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved October 01, 2017, from http://time.com/3905719/the-new-sat/
- Z. (2014, October 7). SAT Scores and Income Inequality: How Wealthier Kids Rank Higher . Retrieved October 1, 2017, from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/URLs_Cited/OT2015/14-981/14-981-12.pdf
Dixon-Román, Ezekiel J., et al. “Race, Poverty and SAT Scores: Modeling the Influences of Family Income on Black and White High School Students’ SAT Performance.” Teachers College Record, vol. 115, no. 4, Apr. 2013, pp. 1-33. EBSCOhost,
Hoover, E. (2016, March 18). What students said right after taking the new SAT. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 62(27), A6. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=cuny_ccny&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA448900503&asid=29a16508705ea8846cd4c564441e6cb7
Hoover, E. (2014, March 14). Plans for New SAT Spark Mixed Reviews. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 60(26). Retrieved from
Lin, Y., Clough, P. J., Welch, J., & Papageorgiou, K. A. (2017). Individual differences in mental toughness associate with academic performance and income. Personality and Individual Differences, 113, 178+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=cuny_ccny&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA489037234&asid=263d8fac0693e9e5e42949aaf07e2a26
Graham, LaConda T., “Factors that Impact Performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) between Urban High School Seniors and their Parents.” (2008). Counselor Education Master’s Theses. Paper 41.
http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=edc_theses
