June 15, 2021
By Christa Ruiz
Staff Writer
This article is part of The Lighthouse’s five-part in-depth reporting series dedicated to the Class of 2021.
The SATs and ACTs have been a required part of the college application at colleges and universities across the country. Due to the pandemic, however, many post-secondary institutions made these tests optional for prospective students. As concerns about Covid-19 ease, institutions of higher education are left wondering if they should continue keeping tests optional.
Even though I took my SAT in November, I believe standardized testing should remain an optional part of the college admissions process. There is a lot of stress surrounding these tests, so making them optional would be one less source of worry for already busy juniors and seniors. The college essay, high school grades, extracurricular involvements, work experience and recommendations are enough to provide a college or university with a full understanding of the applicant.
Some students are also weak test-takers, so an SAT or ACT would not be a good measure of their academic ability or potential. Students who score low on standardized testing can still have high GPAs and be deserving of admission to prestigious colleges. The dedication to their studies that students have exhibited throughout their years in high school should be much more valuable than a single test that will be over in a few hours. Without these tests, students can feel secure in knowing they are putting their best foot forward in their application.
However, I believe those who want to submit their scores should be able to do so. These tests can boost a student’s application if they have scores that meet or exceed the college or university’s expectations.
Another reason to keep SAT and ACT scores optional is that certain students have better access to resources that will help them score higher on a standardized test, which makes it unfair to those who don’t have access and are still required to submit scores. Families with more resources have disposable income they can spend on a tutor or test prep classes for their child, so those with higher financial standing tend to get higher test scores. I would not have felt it was worth the money for my parents to pay for a tutor, so I never had one.
I was scheduled to take the SAT in March 2020, but the test got canceled the day before due to the pandemic. Therefore, my first time taking the SAT was in November. At that point, most colleges had gone test-optional, so I was not too worried about how I would score, and I did not study much. The score came back, and since I wished it were a little higher, I did not submit it to any schools.
The college essay, high school grades, extracurricular involvements, work experience and recommendations are enough to provide a college or university with a full understanding of the applicant.
In December I got my first set of college acceptances, one of which was from Stevens Institute of Technology, the school I will be attending this fall. Since my score was not what I wanted it to be, it might have negatively affected how colleges viewed my application. Even though my score was not that great, I still believe I was worthy of admission because of how I performed academically since my freshman year.
I have also been a member of several high school sports, various clubs and National Honor Society. The service hours I have acquired attest that I am a well-rounded person who deserved to be admitted into good post-secondary institutions. I know students who got into great schools without submitting their standardized test scores, showing me that colleges truly are moving towards a more holistic review of students’ applications and not just viewing people as a number on a test.
Although I see this optionality as a good thing, colleges have been affected by the change. Ivy League schools have had record low acceptance rates, and less competitive schools have had less interest since students set their sights on the competitive institutions.
The types of students being admitted into selective schools this year are also much more diverse than in years past. The University of Chicago, for instance, saw significant demographic changes among its admitted students with 20% more enrollment of first-generation and low-income students, an increase in minorities admitted and even a greater number of students from rural areas.
Friends of mine who are currently juniors say they are hopeful that some schools, including but not limited to Baylor University, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Alabama, will be staying test-optional for another year. Consequently, they will not have to feel stressed about their standardized test scores.
Schools remaining test-optional for another year suggest that standardized testing might fade away as a significant factor of the college admissions process. Few good things have come out of the pandemic, but admissions departments’ shrinking focus on standardized testing is one of them. It has reduced students’ stress and made the college admissions process more equitable. Test-optional policies have only led to positive changes which is why they should remain.
