Blacks with lower SAT scores may still get admitted to the University of Florida

Jack Stripling:

For at least the past three years, the University of Florida has granted early admission to black students with lower standardized test scores than nearly every other ethnic group, in part because officials consider the "racial bias" of the SAT during the admissions process, UF's top academic officer said Thursday.

"There are ethnic groups that do less well on the SAT," said Janie Fouke, UF provost. "That's why you don't build a class (based) on the SAT."

The disparity between the test scores of black applicants and other ethnic groups does not indicate UF holds black applicants to a lower standard, Fouke said. Any gap in scores just reflects that UF is considering a lot more factors than just the SAT in its comprehensive admissions process, she said.

Critics of the SAT say universities shouldn't put too much stock in the test, in part because of research that suggests the questions are geared to favor white test-takers.

Of the 2,247 students admitted through early decision this year, the 74 black students who got into UF posted lower average SAT scores than their counterparts in every other ethnic group, according to data provided to The Gainesville Sun through a public records request.

Among black women, the average SAT score was 1040 - 130 points below the female average of 1170. Black males had a slightly higher average with a score of 1090, but that put them 130 points below the overall male average of 1220.

Two other ethnic groups - both of which had fewer than 10 applicants admitted - also posted SAT scores below the average, but no group fell as far behind as the black students who were admitted.

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