CollegeBoard was founded in 1900 by a group of admission test administrators to provide a more universal standard to college admission processes, which, at the time, varied greatly by school. As the organization grew, it developed the SAT, which originally was based on intelligence tests used on soldiers in WWI. These tests were fundamentally designed to exclude minorities and marginalized groups from high-standing jobs in the military. Although CollegeBoard has done its best to scrub its tests of this stain, it is still built into the foundation of the organization, and it shows.
The cost of AP exams creates disparities in students’ ability to take these higher placement classes, usually falling along racial lines. Although CollegeBoard does offer a fee reduction of $37 if eligible, this assistance is usually not enough to make the courses truly accessible to everyone. The steep costs of these academic services perpetuate inequities between students, leading to unfair conditions for many underprivileged students, all while enriching CollegeBoard.
As high school students approach college applications, it becomes a constant race of stacking AP classes, SAT and ACT prep, and extracurriculars. Although some might say you don’t necessarily need these things to get into college, at this point, prestigious and state schools alike are so competitive that students are expected to pursue higher education. How did it get this way, you may ask? The reason is that alleged non-profit organizations like CollegeBoard profit from student stress and create a pay-to-win environment. Meanwhile, CollegeBoard leaves less fortunate students in the dust, stripping away many of their opportunities for a better future.
Public education is meant to equip students with the resources they need to succeed in their future education, but the monopoly CollegeBoard has over standardized testing makes it nearly impossible for students to get into their dream college without spending hundreds of dollars.
The cost for AP exams in America and Canada is $99. This cost can stack up exponentially the more courses students sign up for. The cost of SAT and ACT tests, which are $68 each with additional fees for things like add-ons and early reports, stacks on as well. CollegeBoard pricing has been rising by a dollar per year for the past five years, and it begs us to question whether CollegeBoard is truly the organization it claims to be.
CollegeBoard is officially a “not-for-profit” organization as designated by the IRS, which, although similar to a nonprofit, has some key differences. To qualify to be a ‘not-for-profit’, you must be an organization bettering the public good, and put any profit you make back into the mission. Not-for-profit organizations are the same way, but because they are typically member-focused, they do not have as many requirements to display their earnings publicly, which lets them be more flexible and discreet in their pursuits. Another difference is the amount of tax exemptions the organization is eligible for, meaning that not-for-profit organizations still have some tax obligations.
Although A ‘not-for-profit’ is not supposed to collect excess revenue, a study by Total Registration found that CollegeBoard has been generating profit for the past 15 years. In 2023, CollegeBoard held over $1.77 billion, keeping between $4-14 of every $100 it takes in. What does it do with all this money? Investments are a big part of what they use their money for, but it is imperative to mention that the top executives of CollegeBoard are paid over $350,000 a year, double the salary of a typical “not-for-profit” executive, and almost as much as the President of the United States.
When looking through this lens, CollegeBoard’s mission and priorities are cracked wide open. According to their website, CollegeBoard claims that they are “driven by a shared mission: to expand access and remove barriers for all learners.”
But if this is true, why is it that their prices for these tools for success are only increasing? They could use their funds to make the tests more affordable to everyone. Their greed causes real harm to students who face financial strain and stress rather than an opportunity for higher education, and furthers disparities between them and their classmates.
For wealthier students, resources are available for them to invest in, such as AP tutors and study guides, which can make preparing for the rigorous exams smoother. CollegeBoard also offers an unlimited number of attempts for the SAT and 12 attempts for the ACT. However, the sinister part is that each test costs just as much as the original. This makes it much more difficult for financially impaired students to take it more than a couple of times, while more financially privileged students can take it as many times as they please. Essentially, they’re buying their way to a good score.
The additional pressure this adds to disadvantaged students to perform well on their first few SAT and ACT tests can set them up for failure. Many high school students have jobs, especially those in low-income families. Having to juggle this and study with what free resources are available puts these students behind. If CollegeBoard were truly committed to their mission, they would support these students to succeed as their mission claims.
AP courses are just as sinister, with the entire curriculum being focused on the success of one test. This is a learning method that has been proven many times to hinder students’ learning and squander any interests they may have when learning, because they are too busy preparing for their test. Already, just by design, the AP curriculum does not live up to its goals of providing education to gifted students. Instead, CollegeBoard puts immense pressure on the tests that students line up for in hopes of improving their chances at college, and ultimately leaves them exhausted, overworked, and their pockets $100 lighter. The swindler, CollegeBoard, strikes once again.
AP courses are also distributed unequally, making it difficult for students in lower-income districts to get the opportunities that wealthier districts get. In a study done by the United States Government Accountability Office, they found that 58.2% of high schools in lower-income districts offer AP courses, while in wealthier districts, 71.2% of their high schools offer them. This means that many gifted students are unable to reach their full potential and demonstrate their talents based on their financial standing, which leads them to miss out on many opportunities their wealthier counterparts enjoy.
CollegeBoard presents itself as an altruistic corporation, aiming to provide advanced education for students wanting challenging courses and a head start on college. However, the more you inspect them, the more you understand that their corrupt pricing is indicative that they are only posing as such. In actuality, they are just as slimy and power-hungry as any other money-grabbing business. This comes at an incredible cost to students who suffer under the prices CollegeBoard demands. Students who are strained with financial burdens, and overwhelmed with stress to succeed, all for a chance at what they promise is a better future, just one SAT score away.