As the end of your high school career rolls around and the start of applying to college nears, many students are faced with the choice to take the SAT or ACT. Let’s say you take one of them and don’t do your best; should that define who you are as a student? On the other hand, let’s say you ace it; should you receive no recognition for it? The critical question in college admissions is whether standardized tests should be considered.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, it became very difficult for high school students to take the SAT or ACT. As a result, numerous colleges and universities removed these test requirements from their applications. Since then, many colleges and universities have remained “test-optional,” which has become a controversy amongst many.
On the one hand, some researchers believe that standardized test results contain important information on predicting college success and grades. These scores can help admissions officers to separate students who are more or less likely to succeed in a particular establishment. Test results have been considered more reliable by some due to the rise in grade inflation.
However, standardized tests are a major stress factor for some high school students. Even some of the brightest kids easily become overwhelmed with the pressure of a single score. There are also many gaps in test scores by race and socioeconomic class. Average scores for lower-income students are often lower than higher income students. Many worry that the strict consideration of standardized test scores in admissions may reduce diversity on campus.
In an article from the New York Times, journalist David Leonhardt shares that “with the current test-optional policies, many teenagers say they are confused. They are uncertain about whether to take the tests and what scores are high enough to submit.”
Others believe that some other parts of the admissions process are seen to have even more racial and economic biases than standardized tests. Not all students are able to participate in expensive extracurricular activities that may help strengthen their application. Other students may receive more help with polishing their applications as well. Some students may also attend test prep classes that not all can afford, although there is no promise that these prep classes guarantee a high score.
Standardized tests can be considered useful, and some guidelines can be used in the consideration of them in a student’s application. Institutions should provide students with information on how much each portion of the application will be considered, helping students better understand if submitting their test scores will be in their best interest. If test scores are being considered in the admissions process, they should be so with the right context. This includes resources available to the student as well as their high school.
In an article from St. John’s University, it is explained that their test-optional policy does not mean a lowering of academic standards, yet molding it into one that represents “hard work, creativity, and individual growth.”
When choosing whether or not to submit your test scores, remember that they can help boost your application, but are not the sole deciding factor in your admission. Many colleges and universities look at the broader applicant and their individual story, rather than a test score.
