Today, I’m joined by Akil Bello, a standardized testing expert and Senior Director of Advocacy and Advancement at FairTest. We talk about equity issues stemming from standardized testing, why colleges are moving away from standardized testing, and the challenges posed by college ranking lists. Akil leaves us with some practical wisdom on how to avoid the prestige trap and focus on tangible outcomes instead.

Additional helpful resources from Akil:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-reckless-rankings-game

https://wordinblack.com/2022/11/why-high-school-students-dont-need-sat-anymore/

https://akilbello.com/2020/10/16/dont-believe-the-hype/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/akilbello/2022/01/31/the-college-board-announces-the-best-sat-since-the-last-sat/

Akil's bio: 

Akil Bello is an educator, speaker, entrepreneur, and testing expert. Akil has worked at every level of the supplemental education industry, advising universities, launching multiple companies, developing dozens of admissions and test preparation programs, training hundreds of instructors, and helping thousands of students achieve success.

Akil was founding partner and CEO for Bell Curves, a test preparation company that focuses on helping public schools, non-profit organizations, and community-based organizations understand admission systems and policies and develop affordable solutions for their students. After leaving his position as Director of Equity and Access for an international test preparation corporation, Akil worked as a consultant, providing institutions with a deeper understanding of how to successfully support underserved students. Akil holds a bachelor's degree from university in Brookly, NY and is currently the Senior Director of Advocacy and Advancement at Fairtest, working to end misuse and overuse of standardized tests. Follow Akil at https://www.linkedin.com/in/akil-bello/.

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.