A validation review of the SAT and ACT for college and university admissions decisions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.33.8734

Keywords:

admissions, assessment, educational policy, higher education, law/legal, test theory/development, validity/reliability

Abstract

In response to a call for research on using the SATs and ACTs for U.S.-based college and university admissions, researchers systematically interrogated the literature surrounding both tests, using a framework for validity evidence built upon the Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing and Kane’s contemporary view of validity. Authors of the 72 peer-reviewed articles selected for this review provided mixed validity evidence. Results indicated that both tests are psychometrically strong. However, when they are put into practice, especially when important decisions are to be made using test output, the validity of the decisions derived using SAT and ACT output is, especially for students from racial minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, at issue.

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Author Biographies

Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, Arizona State University

Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, PhD., is a professor in the Mary Lou Fulton College of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University. Dr. Amrein-Beardsley’s research focuses on the use of value-added models (VAMs) in and across states before and since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). More specifically, she is conducting validation studies on multiple system components, as well as serving as an expert witness in many legal cases surrounding the (mis)use of VAM-based output.

Zarrina T. Azizova, University of North Dakota

Zarrina Talan Azizova, PhD., is an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development at University of North Dakota. Dr. Azizova uses qualitative and quantitative research methods and social theory for her research centering on the issues of postsecondary access and student success to advance equity-conscious educational practices for historically marginalized students.

Norman P. Gibbs, Mesa Public Schools

Norman P. Gibbs, Ph.D., is a program evaluator for the Mesa Unified School District, Mesa, Arizona. Dr. Gibbs’ research has centered on assessment and accountability, comparative and international education, and inclusive and participatory decision-making.

Emeka Ikegwuonu, St. Cloud State University

Chukwuemeka (Emeka) Ikegwuonu, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Learning Design at St. Cloud State University. Dr. Ikegwuonu’s research focuses on how organizational decisions at higher education institutions shape student behaviors.

Jeongeun Kim, University of Maryland, College Park

Jeongeun Kim, Ph.D., is an associate professor of higher education at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Kim’s research focuses on how institutions of higher education use their autonomy to organize policies and practices to remain competitive and the consequences of these strategies on students and faculty in terms of access, affordability, and quality.

Deborah M. La Torre, University of California, Los Angles

Deborah La Torre is completing her Ph.D. in social research methodology in the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA. As an associate research scientist, her research focuses on STEM learning and assessment, cognitive complexity, educational measurement, and afterschool education.

Matthew R. Lavery, South Carolina Education Oversight Committee

Matthew R. Lavery, Ph.D., is Director of Research for the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. Dr. Lavery’s research focuses on the valid use of educational assessments to inform instructional decisions and improve student outcomes.

Margarita Pivovarova, Arizona State University

Margarita Pivovarova, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Mary Lou Fulton College of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University. Dr. Pivovarova explores policy-relevant education problems including teacher retention, student achievement, and school performance.

Yi Zheng, Arizona State University

Yi Zheng, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Mary Lou Fulton College of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Arizona State University. Dr. Zheng is a psychometrician who studies how educational and psychological measurement instruments (e.g., tests, scales, assessments) are best designed and validated.

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Published

2025-04-22

How to Cite

Amrein-Beardsley, A., Azizova, Z. T., Gibbs, N. P., Ikegwuonu, C., Kim, J., La Torre, D. M., Lavery, M. R., Pivovarova, M., & Zheng, Y. (2025). A validation review of the SAT and ACT for college and university admissions decisions. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 33. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.33.8734

Issue

Vol. 33 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, Zarrina T. Azizova, Norman P. Gibbs, Emeka Ikegwuonu, Jeongeun Kim, Deborah M. La Torre, Matthew R. Lavery, Margarita Pivovarova, Yi Zheng

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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