As colleges go test-optional, America’s most selective institutions become even more competitive

March 1, 2022

By Emilia Calabrese
Editor-in-Chief

Originally administered to measure a high school student’s readiness for college, the SAT and ACT were once a crucial component to a student’s college application, but that is no longer the case at many of America’s most selective post-secondary institutions.

During the pandemic, many colleges and universities across the nation implemented test-optional admissions, and many top schools are continuing with this practice.

With students having a choice on whether to submit their test scores, the number of applicants has skyrocketed at colleges including The University of Pennsylvania, which experienced a 34% increase, and Colgate University, which had a shocking 102% increase over 2019.

In last year’s admission cycle, Harvard University received more than 57,000 applicants, which is a 42% increase compared to the year prior. In December 2021, Harvard’s student newspaper The Harvard Crimson announced that the university admitted 7.9% of early applicants to the Class of 2026, making it the second-most competitive early admissions cycle in Harvard’s history.

Harvard plans to continue with test-optional applications through the 2026 application cycle.

Tulane University’s early action admissions rate declined to 10% this admission cycle, and it expects 55% to 58% of next year’s freshman class to be made up of early decision students. 

This year, New York University received a record-breaking 105,000 applicants, 19,000 of them being early decision applicants. This increase included first-generation, underrepresented and international applicants. 

“A score is just a number, and I am a firm believer that academic success relies more on work ethic and determination.”

Guidance counselor Mrs. Stacy said she advises students to look at the SAT and ACT score ranges of the schools they are interested in to determine if they should submit them or not.

“Ultimately as a student, your application should reflect what you want it to. As a counselor, I am happy to have a discussion with students to talk through the pros and cons of submitting them based on the range,” Stacy said. 

She said the one drawback of test-optional schools for students is that if they are very good test-takers, their score is under less consideration now. 

“There are a lot of schools who still see the SAT as a very serious component of the application, but there is no longer so much weight in it for all these schools,” Stacy said.

Senior Nick Medina, who said he was satisfied with his SAT scores, submitted them to all of the schools to which he applied except for the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, which is remaining test-optional through Fall 2023.

Although Medina was satisfied with his SAT score, he said SAT and ACT scores should remain optional among all post-secondary schools so students are not deterred from applying due to seemingly arbitrary score requirements. 

“If every other part of your application looks excellent, why should a privatized company [like College Board or ACT] have such a sway on your future?” Medina said.

Medina said standardized test scores are not a reflection of a student’s ability to succeed in college and beyond. 

“I have yet to interact with a single adult that had to take a math and reading test to see if they were a good fit for the company,” Medina said.

Senior Francesca Castagnetti said she is unsure if colleges should remain test-optional. She said low SAT or ACT scores could cause a school to dismiss a candidate who is academically talented but a bad test taker.

“On the other hand, I think that some students without other opportunities to stand out from other applicants should be able to have their scores as a comparison and as a chance to stand out,” Castagnetti said.  

She said taking the SAT is a stressful experience.

After receiving scores she was not happy with, Castagnetti decided to take the SAT for her fourth and final time during her senior year.  

“I got my scores back, and finally, I got a score that was equivalent to those I received on the practice test. I finally had a score I was proud of,” Castagnetti said. 

She said the feeling and relief and pride were incredibly rewarding.

Junior Laura Sanchez, who has not yet taken the SAT, said standardized test scores are only a reflection of how well students perform under pressure. 

“A score is just a number, and I am a firm believer that academic success relies more on work ethic and determination,” Sanchez said.

She said since most exams are timed, they do not accurately measure a student’s potential and intelligence.

“Tons of students stress out about the SAT, and the fact that schools are going test-optional makes the application process a little less demanding,” Sanchez said. 

Stacy said as admission to selective colleges becomes more competitive, there are ways for students to help themselves stand out.

She said starting freshman year, students should expose themselves to various activities and organizations to become well-rounded students. 

“Volunteer at your church, volunteer at the animal shelter, participate in anything that you’re interested in and then build on that year after year.”

She said although there has been a spike in applicants at highly selective institutions, there are benefits that come with test-optional admissions.

“These colleges are beginning to look at students holistically, meaning they are more looking at extracurricular activities, essays and you as a whole person rather than numbers,” Stacy said. “They are really looking at your whole story and what you can bring to their campus.”