SAT
Hacker ApprovedStandardized test in Learning
College admissions test people recommend as an objective, uniform measure that predicts first-year grades. Critics say it is too easy and easy to cram for.
College admissions test people recommend as an objective, uniform measure that predicts first-year grades. Critics say it is too easy and easy to cram for.
23 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 16
- criticize it
- 7
- approval share
- 70%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 16 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.3 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Objective, uniform, hard to game
“We could set up a standardized test for the UC schools ensure that the students being accepted have minimum baseline normalized across all applicants.”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” “Standardized testing isn't perfect, but it's often the only objective equalizer we have.”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” “they're relatively difficult for schools to game”
Comment from 29 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” - Comment from 14 Aug 2026 in “AI is removing the middle class of software engineering”
Predicts first-year college performance
“It’s a pretty good measure for how a student will do in their first year in college.”
Comment from 10 Jan 2026 in “How your high school affects your chances of UC Admission” “SAT scores strongly correlate with GPA, retention, and degree completion”
Comment from 26 Jun 2026 in “Early life adversity leaves a lasting molecular imprint across the body” Better measure than high school grades
“grades (or at least grades in isolation) aren't a good predictor at all for this”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” “the SAT is a far better measure of mathematical aptitude that high school grades”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Too easy, can be prepared for
“SAT is just a _bad_ test. It's way too easy to get top scores there”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” “SAT as high school math exam itself I think is way too easy”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” “SAT math is quite trivial and also can be prepared for”
Comment from 28 May 2026 in “Citing 'severe' math deficits, UC faculty demand a return to SAT tests for STEM” Easy to game or cram for
“since tests can be gamed so easily, I would caution against their over use”
Comment from 14 Jul 2026 in “What did SFFA vs. Harvard reveal about admissions?” “the SAT is a shitty IQ test that is constantly crammed for and cheated on”
Comment from 22 Jun 2026 in “Job application asked for my SAT scores” Test value questioned
“That achievement has been hollowed out in tandem with the value of most college degrees.”
Comment from 10 Jan 2026 in “How your high school affects your chances of UC Admission” “I don't think it was a valuable test whatsoever”
Comment from 23 Jun 2026 in “Job application asked for my SAT scores”
What people said
23 of the 24 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“it's administered uniformly across the world”
“since tests can be gamed so easily, I would caution against their over use”
“SAT scores strongly correlate with GPA, retention, and degree completion”
“I don't think it was a valuable test whatsoever”
“the SAT is a shitty IQ test that is constantly crammed for and cheated on”
“it is essential to restore these objective benchmarks”
“does a great job at weeding out students who have A’s in math but can’t solve 8th grade algebra problems”
“the SAT fits the bill of good enough to re-impliment quickly”
“they're relatively difficult for schools to game”
“With standardized testing, you lose a lot of detail about how the student got to their answer.”
“SAT is just a _bad_ test. It's way too easy to get top scores there”
“Getting rid of the SAT was a huge mistake”
“probably biased but relatively good) measure of willpower”
“SAT math is quite trivial and also can be prepared for”
“We could set up a standardized test for the UC schools ensure that the students being accepted have minimum baseline normalized across all applicants.”
“the SAT is a far better measure of mathematical aptitude that high school grades”
“I think I only got in to a decent college on the strength of my SAT and ACT scores.”
“SAT as high school math exam itself I think is way too easy”
“grades (or at least grades in isolation) aren't a good predictor at all for this”
“Standardized testing isn't perfect, but it's often the only objective equalizer we have.”
“It’s a pretty good measure for how a student will do in their first year in college.”
“That achievement has been hollowed out in tandem with the value of most college degrees.”
“Saves energy and makes your house more comfortable.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.