This paper presents the results of a national validity study examining relationships between new SAT Essay scores and first semester grades in English and writing courses, as well as first-year grade point average (FYGPA) in college. The sample includes more than 180,000 first-year students across 171 fouryear institutions. Results show that there is a positive relationship between the three SAT Essay scores and first semester English and writing course grades as well as overall FYGPA. More importantly, these SAT Essay scores add useful information above and beyond the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) section score. Findings show that the added predictive value of the SAT Essay can be even more powerful by student subgroup. For some student subgroups, the SAT Essay can improve our ability to predict their college performance in English and Writing by more than 30% above using the combination of HSGPA and SAT ERW scores. These findings provide compelling empirical support for institutions using or considering the use of SAT Essay scores for admission, placement, or advising on campus.
The continued accumulation of validity evidence for the intended uses of educational assessment scores is critical to ensure that inferences made using the scores are sound. To that end, the College Board has continued to collect college outcome data to evaluate the relationship between SAT scores and college success. This report provides updated validity evidence for using the SAT to predict first-year college grade point average (FYGPA) for the 2012 cohort.
