Quantitude S7E07 Is the SAT Biased and Should be Banned? Maybe...
10 snips
Nov 4, 2025 Greg and Patrick dive into the contentious topic of the SAT, questioning its bias and whether it should be banned. They share personal stories and explore the test’s purpose, discussing how it reflects broader societal inequities. Definitions of psychometric bias and cultural influences on test items illustrate the complexities involved. The hosts propose that the SAT may be a thermometer for inequality. They consider the implications of banning the test and the questions that must be answered before making such a decision.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Flaming Tennis Ball Cannon Incident
- Patrick told a story about making a gasoline-powered tennis ball cannon that shot a flaming ball into a neighbor's garage.
- The ball bounced off a car and burned out in a garage, and they extinguished it by kicking it out into the street.
Origins And Purpose Of The SAT
- The SAT was created in 1926 to broaden access to elite colleges by measuring academic preparation rather than innate intelligence.
- College Board is a nonprofit that designed the test as a meritocratic tool, not a measure of creativity or intelligence.
What Psychometric Bias Means
- Psychometric bias means two people with identical latent ability should get equal scores regardless of background.
- A test is biased if characteristics of the test systematically advantage one person over another.