Breaking Boundaries: ChatGPT Aces SAT for Harvard, Yale

ChatGPT aces SAT, can enter top universities like Harvard and Yale, study say

ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that can generate realistic and coherent texts based on a given prompt or context. It was developed by OpenAI, a research organization dedicated to creating and promoting beneficial artificial intelligence. ChatGPT is based on a large language model (LLM) that can learn from billions of words from the internet and produce texts on various topics and styles.

ChatGPT has many potential applications, such as education, entertainment, customer service, and research. However, it has risks and challenges, such as ethical, social, and security issues. One of the major concerns is that scammers and hackers can exploit ChatGPT for malicious purposes, such as fraud, phishing, malware, misinformation, and harassment.

However, ChatGPT has some impressive abilities demonstrating its intelligence and reasoning skills. A new study reveals that ChatGPT can solve problems as well as or even better than college students, outperforming the average score of human participants on reasoning tests.

The researchers tested GPT-4, the current model of ChatGPT, on reasoning problems found in intelligence tests and exams like the SAT. The SAT is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. A multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test measures students' reading, writing, and math skills. The SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600, with an average score of 1060.

Many different universities accept SAT scores. Some of the most selective universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, require SAT scores for admission. However, many other universities accept SAT scores, even if they are less selective.

The researchers asked GPT-4 to predict the next image in a complex shape arrangement, which they turned into text so the model could understand. The researchers also ensured that GPT-4 had never seen these questions before. Surprisingly, GPT-4 performed impressively well, solving 80 percent of the problems correctly. This outperformed the average score of human participants, who were 40 college students from UCLA.

Additionally, the researchers challenged the AI model with some SAT analogy questions, where it had to link pairs of words. They believed these questions were unavailable online, making it a more challenging test. Despite that, GPT-4 still did better than the average score of human college applicants.

As for the SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and SAT Math exams taken by U.S. high school students to measure their college readiness, GPT-4 scored in the 93rd and 89th percentile, respectively. This means that GPT-4 can easily gain admission to universities like Harvard and Yale with high SAT scores.

However, there were areas where GPT-4 struggled. One test asked GPT-4 and student volunteers to match a prose passage with a different short story conveying the same meaning. GPT-4 needed to understand the texts' nuances and emotions and scored poorly on this task.

The researchers concluded that GPT-4 demonstrates impressive problem-solving abilities but still needs some aspects of human intelligence, such as social understanding and common sense. They also cautioned that GPT-4's reasoning process may need to be more transparent and explainable and may rely on memorizing facts rather than understanding concepts.

Therefore, while ChatGPT can easily gain admission to universities like Harvard and Yale with its high SAT score, it may need help to succeed in other aspects of academic life or social interactions.