Reply #78: The colleges themselves, which demand high SAT scores as

[LibDemAlways]

part of the admission process, are, indeed, a big part of the problem. There is a huge industry in SAT preparation classes, and high school counselors and parents put great pressure on kids to take them.

My daughter is currently a high school senior. She has friends who spent the better part of their summers the past two or three years all day every day in SAT prep school. These kids truly have had no life. And the crime is that all of this emphasis on rote learning, memorization, and regurgitation isn't even preparing them for the rigors of college, which demands critical thinking.

There is an interesting new documentary called"Road to Nowhere" which addresses many of these issues. In it, a college admissions officer from UC Berkeley - one of the worst offenders in terms of expecting all AP classes, insanely high GPAs and test scores as a ticket to entry- admits she's part of the problem. However, the system is so entrenched, she is unable to offer or propose any alternatives. Just frightening.