SAT: An Attack on Chinese Values

"Is the SAT a tool to impose 'American values' on Chinese students?"

By: Times Staff

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-sat-exam-american-values-chinese-students-20140829-story.html

       The Institute for International Eduation reports that the number of Chinese students studying in the United States has grown by 20% every year for the last six years. In 2010 China passed India, with the largest amount of foreign students sent to the United States, and last year alone, 235,000 Chinese students were accepted into American Universities. College Board announced plans in March to include America's founding documents into the exam, and Chinese officials worry that the SAT will impose the American values of Liberty, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness upon its best students. These integral values that America was founded upon is considered threatening to China's communist rule. Author Kelly Yang says "If the new SAT succeeds, it will be the first time America is able to systematically shape the views, beliefs and ideologies of hundreds of thousands of Chinese students every year, not through a popular television show or a politician's speaking tour, but through what the Chinese care about most – exams." Chinese intelluctuals criticize the Governments attempt at forcing Communist ideologies upon students and the finger-pointing towards a foreign exam. Enforcing Communist ideas has become more and more difficult in modern China, due to the internet, and their adopted capitalistic economic system. The newest SAT tests with the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section are planned for Spring 2016. 

       This is an important article as it touches upon key political and social issues that make the United States and China so different. Admittance into America's most prestigious schools is highly sought after, and with the increasing number of foreign students moving to America makes the playing field much more competitive for American students.