* Problem Definition:

Alex's problem concerns on the weight & scores of student’s selection criteria in college admission especially Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the results of the test may not truly reflect what a student knows.

* Justification of the Problem:
The problem occurs as the (SAT) has a great pressure on some students, whom they suffer the test anxiety and this might not reflect what they really know, more over the quality of high schools differs from each other’s as a student from ordinary high school may get an “A” in a material and the other in such a demanding one may get a “C”, also the (SAT) has a discriminating effect on some students that can’t afford coaching tutorials, which improve the scores of the exam with high percentage. * List of Alternatives:

* Replace Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) With American College Testing (ACT ) * Replace the SAT with intelligence test, for only scientific sections of the college while making the SAT optional, for other sections replacing it with personal interview, giving it the same weight of the SAT. * Lower the weight of SAT against the high school grades, extra-curricular activities and achievements and written theme submitted to be: I. High school grades 40% II. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores 25% III. extra-curricular activities and achievements 20% IV. written theme submitted 15%

* Evaluating Alternatives:

* Alternative 1: Replace (SAT) with (ACT )

I. ACT has less pressure on students than SAT, because The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school, but the SAT is more of an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilities. II. The ACT has up to five components: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test. The SAT has only three components: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and a required Writing Test. III. The ACT has straightforward, questions may be long but are usually less difficult to decipher, but the ACT has tricky, questions can be phrased in ways that make them difficult to decipher. IV. The ACT is scored based on the number of correct answers with no penalty for guessing, but the SAT penalizes you for wrong answers, so guessing is discouraged. V. The ACT is more of a "big picture" exam. College admissions officers care about how you did on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, they are most concerned with your composite score. Therefore, if you are weak in one content area but strong in others, you could still end up with a very good ACT score and thus make a strong impression with the admissions committee.

* Alternative 2: Replace the SAT with intelligence test (Scientific Sec.) making SAT optional for other sections replacing it with personal interview. I. As New England College has a variety of sections, so it is not fair that all of the students admitted to the college, take the same exams or tests that does not represent what they will be In the future. II. As the main aim from college is getting its graduates in good jobs, replace SAT exam with intelligence one for whom chosen scientific section will do help screening the right students for those kind of sections. III. While making the SAT optional for other sections of the college, replacing it with personal interview, will do guarantee that the admission officers will get the right candidates for those sections too. IV. Making the SAT optional, will increase socioeconomic, racial and ethnic diversity in the student body. V. Making the test optional "removed the barrier for those students who had everything else," like scholastic achievement and extracurricular activities.

* Alternative 3: Lower the weight of SAT against the high school grades, extra-curricular activities and achievements and written theme submitted to be: 1) High school grades 40% 2) Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores 25% 3) extra-curricular activities and achievements 20% 4) written theme submitted 15%

I. Lowering the SAT weight and dividing its weight to other criteria will surly lower the pressure on the students admitting to college, knowing that will be others that can give them advantage joining the college. II. Lowering the SAT will increase the Variety and diversity of students, giving the opportunity to show their other potentials that can allow them to join college. III. Giving the extra-curricular activities and achievements, a higher weight in college admission, will open new chances for those who have other abilities and talents. IV. Giving the written theme submitted little bit extra weight, to open the creative side of the student which will be a way expressing themselves and what they can really do.

* Recommendations:

I will recommend both of alternative one & of two, cause they lower the pressure on the students and really and give them the ability to show what they are really know, and give the admission board the chance to have a variety without any kind of discrimination.