The New SAT: Now with 100% More Writing!

Where in the unjust universe was this when I was garnering for admission?

Not to say my entrance exam score was lacking….heck I went to the school who’s unofficial motto was “When in doubt, go to Stout” half my score could have been donated to the less fortunate and admissions still would have been stalking me relentlessly. But, as a self-admitted merit-aholic I deeply craved that massive number that could preserve my geekiness for posterity. Due to a massive case of number-phobia, the math portion of my test resembled the connect-the-dots puzzles one finds on the back of a Denny’s menu. So, despite off the charts reading/comp scores then best I could garner was a meek “above average.” Needless to say, this new portion could have made for a beefy Marilyn-Vos-Savant-in-training rank instead.

But, personal glory-seeking aside, it’s about bloody time they ranked writing skills as important as math/logic. There are countless people running around out there with no clue as to how to write a proper letter or even how to properly convey information in an email. One very respectable executive I know even went so far as to ask my friend C to write some sample emails for her so she could modify them and not sound like a blathering idiot to her clients. Even my own clients send me emails that more often than not sound like a cross between Yoda and William Shatner with a killer hangover. “You...have....files...get me to them.....and vendor as well”

Of course it will be several years before those required to pass this new section are unleashed on the world, but it does give me a deep sense of hope that when opening some future invitation it will NOT read “We having a party, you come and have good time.”