[ebrenes]

But every metric used by colleges is to measure what you termed "scholastic actuality":

- School grades: if you didn't get the GPA you're already out of the running in many colleges

- Extracurricular Activities: if you didn't actually participate, then no one is going to look at how you might have done if you had participated

- College Essay: if you can't write you're not going to get any points here, no matter the potential you might have to eventually write something amazing

I don't see why the SAT should focus on some ethereal "potential" when everything else is centered on the current reality and not potential. Colleges aren't looking for the completely unrefined ore, they're looking for a diamond in the rough that needs to be cut and polished if you will. Not a bucket of rocks that are very likely to contain a diamond.

[askafriend]

This is basically what I was trying to get at with my original comment - I think you did a better job of expressing it.

At some level you have to have to have something to show for your potential - otherwise there's no way to choose between candidates. Every single metric will advantage those who had the time, money, and resources to invest in developing academic aptitude. There are a small group of people who get by on developing musical or athletic aptitude but even those require time, money, energy, resources.