Tests aren’t all the rage these days. Meritocracy isn’t either. Neither, really, is school — at least, not the conventional kind. Nowadays, educational institutions appear to be ideological training grounds against the background of old academics. MIT is a miracle of modernity.
The renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology had previously abandoned any mention of standard testing among admissions. It announced on March 28th that it would be reinstituting the ACT/SAT requirement.
The MIT News Office published an article that outlined the change.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented high school students safe from taking the exams, the Institute pulled its requirement as a longstanding requirement between 2020 and 2021.
But now there’s “safe, effective pediatric vaccination” for the coronavirus as well as “free in-school SAT” and “digital SAT.”
The repeal is perhaps more relevant than the fact that testing actually works.
The admissions office has conducted research that shows that standardized tests can be used to assess the academic ability of all applicants, says Stuart Schmill (Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services).
Some pepper is woken up by:
[Dean Stuart] says the standardized exams are most helpful for assisting the admissions office in identifying socioeconomically disadvantaged students who are well-prepared for MIT’s challenging education, but who don’t have the opportunity to take advanced coursework, participate in expensive enrichment programs, or otherwise enhance their college applications.
From the horse’s mouth:
“Our research has shown that, in most cases, we cannot reliably predict students will do well at MIT unless we consider standardized test results alongside grades, coursework, and other factors. These results have been statistically stable and robust over time. And the math component of the testing turns out to be most important.”
They will be very offended by these ideas. After all, we’re increasingly informed that any sort of meritocracy is a racist myth — see “College Schools Students and Staff on Microaggressions’ ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ and the ‘Myth of Meritocracy’.”
In the fall, Google workers were trained on the “white supremacy” of the “meritocracy myth”:
A Google DEI Lead created an internal document called “Anti-racism resources,” containing readings and racial-consciousness exercises. One graphic claims that “colorblindness,” “Columbus Day,” “weaponized whiteness,” and “Make America Great Again” are “covert white supremacy.” pic.twitter.com/kLIc5JZu8U
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) September 8, 2021
More broadly, according to the Smithsonian, the notion that “hard work is the key to success” is an “aspect and [assumption]” of whiteness:
The National Museum of African American History & Culture wants to make you aware of certain signs of whiteness: Individualism, hard work, objectivity, the nuclear family, progress, respect for authority, delayed gratification, more. (via @RpwWilliams)https://t.co/k9X3u4Suas pic.twitter.com/gWYOeEh4vu
— Byron York (@ByronYork) July 15, 2020
Yet, MIT’s use of scoring will persist.
Stuart spoke highly of the value of mathematics merit
“An MIT education combines deeply analytic thinking with creative hands-on problem-solving to prepare students to solve the toughest problems in the world. All first-years are required to take two semesters in calculus, and two of calculus-based Physics. Students who don’t place out must also complete a math diagnostic. There is no MIT path that doesn’t include a strong foundation in mathematics. This foundation will be supported by numerous quantitative exams. So, in a way, it is not surprising that the SAT/ACT math exams are predictive of success at MIT; it would be more surprising if they weren’t.”
The College Fix noted that Steven Hayward (UC Berkeley) has a unique teaching style. NotThe reversal of the trend is explained by waking, which involves archenemies.
“I have a hunch that MIT’s decision was driven by competitive pressure, namely, that its arch-rival for science supremacy in academia — CalTech — might start to leave MIT conspicuously behind if MIT continued down the road to politically correct admissions practices. CalTech has never embraced affirmative action admission dogma, and hence has a larger Asian student body than peer universities.”
Which amount of wokeness can competition bring back? It remains to be determined. But don’t misunderstand — MIT’s still aboard a train headed for wokeville:
MIT Boots a Science Professor following His Exciting Take on Diversity Equity and Inclusion
https://t.co/z589oHbmRv— RedState (@RedState) October 7, 2021
For now, however, the school’s choo-choosing merit.
We may be able see the good side even if CalTech or MIT stop achieving great results.
China is eating our STEM field lunch, but at least there’s “Ecofeminism”
https://t.co/ka2uHm3awp— RedState (@RedState) August 12, 2021
-ALEX
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