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Colleges May Give More Weight To Writing Scores

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By ADAM EMERSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 28, 2008

If Florida's college-bound students haven't thought much about the SAT writing test, they had better start soon: the University of South Florida and others are paying more attention to their scores.

Although the emphasis has been on the critical reading and math portions of the test, USF, Florida State University and the University of Florida this year are considering writing results to help determine how ready a student is for college-level work.

USF, for instance, wants students to score at least 440 out of 800 on the writing section to be considered for admission, just as it does for reading and math; UF plans to do the same. FSU officials say students should have at least a combined 1620 out of 2400 possible points on the three sections of the test.

"I see this as being proactive in terms of making sure our students are prepared to handle college-level writing," said Robert Spatig, USF's undergraduate admissions director.

Students, however, still think that excellence on the reading and math portions of the SAT is paramount, high school guidance specialists say.

When weighing an applicant, most colleges base the decision on the combined reading and math scores, which add up to a maximum of 1600 points.

When prepping for the SAT, students spend much of their energy on those sections, guidance specialists say.

Some may take the writing section seriously, "but it hasn't been as hyped," said Ansberto Vallejo, a guidance counselor at East Bay High School in Gibsonton.

Vallejo fears many students may not approach the writing test with the same gravity.

Many universities haven't taken the writing section as seriously, either.

Initial Skepticism

The College Board, which administers the test, added the writing evaluation in 2005, increasing the point total from 1600 to 2400.

Hundreds of universities were skeptical about whether the new section accurately reflected a student's writing ability and shunned that portion of the SAT when considering an applicant.

The writing section includes multiple choice questions on grammar and a short essay on a particular topic.

This year, however, the College Board released a study showing that the writing portion of the SAT was a better predictor of freshmen college grades than the critical reading and math sections.

The most recent results of college-bound students taking the SAT in Florida show that, on average, they scored 494 on the writing section compared to 502 in reading and 515 in math.

Gonzalo Garcia, guidance resource specialist at King High School in Tampa, said that his students tend to do as well on the writing section as on the others. But apprehension sets in when some universities come up with a new benchmark that upends what students have been working toward.

"They're so indoctrinated with the 1600 as a measure of excellence," he said.

With exceptions, USF won't admit a student who scores below 440 on the writing section, Spatig said, even if their critical reading and math scores meet the minimum standard.

The state already sets 440 as the minimum standard in the SAT reading and math sections for admission to a state university. Anyone who scores below that, with exceptions, must complete remedial work at a community college before enrolling in the state university system.

The Florida Department of Education is considering setting 440 as the official minimum standard for the writing section as well. USF, anticipating that will happen soon, put its measure in place.

In addition, the state university system's Board of Governors has required that students who earn less than a 3.0 grade-point average reach a certain score on all three sections of the SAT. For example, if a student earns a 2.5 GPA, the student must score at least a combined 1450 on the SAT.

A Higher Bar

Most state universities don't regularly admit students with less than a 3.0 GPA. FSU, for one, has raised the bar higher than what state officials have set.

FSU officials have told guidance specialists that students should have at least a 1620 on the 2400 SAT scale to be considered for admission. That equates to about an 1100 on the old 1600 scale, said Janice Finney, FSU's admissions director.

That doesn't mean students can score a 650 on each of the reading and math portions and hope for admission with a 400 writing score, Finney said.

"You should be pretty consistent across the board," she said.

Finney acknowledges that admissions officials are shifting their focus away from what they've underscored with students and guidance counselors the past couple of years: that admission decisions are based on their reading and math scores.

"We've trained them so well," she said. Now, "we have to retrain them."

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285 or aemerson@tampatrib.com.

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