Pumping Up the SAT Score for a Good Ranking

Since 2005, Claremont McKenna, related #9 on U.S. News & World Report's best liberal arts colleges in the country, has been lopping on a few points here and there to its entering students' average SAT score before reporting those numbers to U.S. News and World Report and rating organizations such as the Princeton Review. For example, in 2010, its combined median score was reported as 1410, rather than its actual 1400. And its 75th percentile was reported at 1510, when it was, in reality, 1480.

Claremont McKenna's vice president and dean of administrations has been removed from his job title on the college website. President Pamela B. Gann explained the problem and concluded, "As an institution of higher education with a deep and consistent commitment to the integrity of our academic activities, and particularly, our reporting of institutional data, we take this situation very seriously."

Robert Franek of the Princeton Review offered, "That is a pretty mild difference in a point score. That said, 10 points, 20 points to a student that isn't getting that score on the SAT could be an important distinction." Is the issue that the difference is mild? Mr. Franek also added, "I feel like so many schools have a very clear obligation to college-bound students to report this information honestly."

After summarizing the case in the first paragraph, be sure to address the following:

• Evaluate the issues as well as Mr. Franek's take on the situation from an ethical perspective.
• Which ethical perspective is his view associated with?
• Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Franek? Why or why not? (conclusion paragraph)