We probably all know that the SAT has been “rec-entered.” I make a circle with my hands and then make a dramatic repositioning down. There is, however, a great deal more news than that. The test is no longer an aptitude test, as it was when it began. It is now a test of having learned the Common Core, a curriculum that is far left in idedology and very modern (or anti-classical) in terms of literature. A number of situations devolve from this. Now, studying and which high school one went to matters. Further, the Princeton Review Board, that is making the market for studying is in the market, selling study material. This is a situation that we are seeing repeatedly elsewhere and may have to regulate. However, the test is not now differentiating well between student who will do well in college. Thus, it does not help college find better students, but it does discriminate against Christians, homeschoolers, and many who are in the better private schools!

Now someone associated with the classical education movement has constructed an alternative, called the Classical Learning Test. It has iterations for grades 8, 10, and 12. It may be administered in a school on online. While currently not all of the tests are norm based, they are normed for the test takers and thus will allow parents to determine how well their children are progressing (although there may be some shock as a student who normally shows as nationally ranked comes out to mean or below in this group.) Further, the last test is normed in such a way that collegs do understand the superior ranking of these students. They probably already know that students from the larger, more well known classical school outperform, but this test will help many others.

Hear more about this at https://basecamplive.com/tag. Base Camp Live is a podcast devoted to the classical education movement. They interview Jeremy Tate of the Classical Learning Test. Tate, a graduate of LSU and Reformed Theological Seminary, is a former college admissions test prep consultant and counselor. His children are homeschooled.

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