Is College Board a Scam?

Emily Houde

PSATs? SATs? AP Tests? CSS Profile? It’s all put on by a company called College Board. They have good intentions, I believe. According to their website, they aim to aid students go from high school to college and the real world. They are able to help students develop the skills they need through SATs and APs. Their BigFuture program also helps students learn about different paths they can take after high school. 

These things all sound nice, but are they really bringing that much benefit? According to Blueprints Magazine, top schools such as Dartmouth and Caltech don't even accept  AP credits. The classes don't accurately represent college classes and the curriculum they bring. The SAT used to be required by all schools as a representation of someone’s academic ability. During COVID, schools stopped requiring students to submit them, but schools are slowly starting to require them again. These tests only capture someone's general English and math skills, not their problem-solving skills, people skills, or OVERALL academic skills. It just captures English and math. 

While none of this seems great, what is the harm in taking these tests? They are expensive. AP tests are about $100 and the SAT is about $70. College Board is a nonprofit organization, so it makes it sound better to be giving money to a non profit than another company or school. Being a nonprofit makes them tax exempt, so they get all the money people pay. They are basically the only company in the country, so they operate like a monopoly, raking $1.1 billion in 2019 and only going up from there. 

As a high school student, there’s a high chance students will interact with College Board in one way or another. There is no avoiding it, so people just need to be educated about what is happening. The question is, is College Board truly a scam? While we can’t directly prove it, there is evidence supporting both sides.