Paul Stories: SAT Prep

In 1969, no one, at least no one in Portland, Oregon, knew from “SAT prep.” At Benson, the city’s top high school, we all believed the myth, propagated by the College Board that you couldn’t study for the exam, that it measured innate ability. I didn’t even know enough to take it early, so I could retake it if I did badly. So, I signed up for the last test date in December 1969; any later and I couldn’t apply to colleges in 1970. I took the Math and Verbal SAT tests in the morning, and then three achievement tests in the afternoon: math, physics and chemistry. I don’t even think they allow you to take all those tests on the same day now. Out of 800, I scored 750 on the math and 780 on the verbal; I was in the 90th percentile. On the other hand, I tanked on the achievements (I had taken physics two years before, and hadn’t taken calculus). I went home and slept for 17 hours. Four months later, I was admitted to Cal Tech and MIT, rejected by Stanford (just like Marlow). I chose MIT.