You can’t really fail the SAT test as Shaquille O’Neal claimed he did (twice) — but you can get a pretty low score. In the case of college athletes, they must meet a certain standard to be eligible for their athletic scholarships. Here’s how those requirements shake out:
“For NCAA Divisions 1 and 2, the lowest you can possibly score is a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. If you have a 2.0 GPA you must score a combined 1010 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT. You can take the ACT exam instead of the SAT if you prefer. With a 2.0 GPA you must score a combined total of 86 points on the four sections of the ACT, English, math, science, and reading.”
So Shaquille O’Neal probably meant he didn’t clear that 1010 bar in his two shots at the SAT. The big man was, as always, very frank in talking about his challenges meeting the academic requirements needed to take advantage of his basketball scholarship. (Shaq went to LSU.)
After “failing” the SAT twice, Shaq took the ACT as an alternative and obviously scored at least 86 points on the required four sections. How’d he do it? He said he just rapped some rhymes to himself using the multiple choice letters, sort of a pin-the-tail approach, and it worked. It’s probably not a great study guide for future Shaqs, but then again there is only one Shaquille O’Neal. A-B-BBB-C-CABC. Sing it people. You just may pass and end up in the Hall of Fame. And maybe end up on the Board of Directors of big companies too, like Shaq.
