Err, personally, I'm not convinced that a multiple choice test with questions that need to be answered in a minute each was ever an instrument for detecting unusual verbal or mathematical ability. A big vocabulary or an ability to solve a standard set of questions related to basic algebra and geometry? Sure. Fast processing speed? Sounds reasonable. Predict "Will this person do okay as a college freshman?" Sure. But can it measure talent for speaking/writing or proving new ideas in mathematics/solving thorny engineering questions? Well....I kind of doubt it.
That said, I recall that they decided to redo the test a few years ago after a big "scandal" over low SAT scores. There was a lot of worry about SAT scores showing that some large percentage of students weren't "college ready." Given that a very limited slice of the population (say, 25% if we're being nice and generous) will ever be college ready, the results at the time seemed high to me. Does anyone else remember that?
So the cynic in me is thinking, "Here at the College Board, we're believe that everyone can and should go to college.* See? Higher average SAT scores are great!
"**
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*Or at least, everyone should take the SAT.
**And if you look at our conversion tables, which are taped to the bottom of a filing cabinet in the basement of our office on Mars, you'll see that the new scores correspond to a drop of 60-80 points over old scores.
