A Brief History and Timeline of the SAT
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The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) has been a critical component of college admissions in the United States for nearly a century. Its adaptability to educational trends, societal changes, and criticism has reassured its relevance, making it a reliable measure of academic readiness for college. 1926: The SAT is Born The College Board, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding access to higher education, introduced the SAT in 1926. It was designed by Carl Brigham, a psychologist who helped develop the Army Alpha intelligence tests during World War I. The original test had nine sections, focusing on analogies, reading comprehension, and math. 1941: Standardization of Scores In the early years, SAT scores varied widely across administrations. In 1941, the College Board introduced a standard scoring system, with 200 as the minimum and 800 as the maximum score for each section. This standardization helped colleges interpret student scores more consistently. 1950s–1960s: Expansi...