College. For high school students who are considering attending, it's a stressful process. Deciding which school is the perfect fit and then trying to get accepted can be intimidating. It being 2023, things have changed, and applying to colleges is not how it used to be. There is a new age of college admission requirements. So what are these new requirements; what really matters when applying to colleges; and how does that vary depending on the students’ goals? 

Decades ago, college admission was all about the grades. How hard you worked in highschool, how many hours you spent studying, and what you sacrificed to get a perfect score on your calculus tests. But that is not necessarily the case anymore, the options for education are widespread like never before. You can learn almost anything you want and at a much deeper level. Basically school is not centered around traditional classes and values. In fact, that change is already in effect for students in Bozeman. For high schoolers, what used to be a day of math, science, and gym classes, is now a day of math, science, gym, ceramics, mechanics, guitar, biomed, and painting classes. According to Elaine Warn, a Gallatin High School (GHS) english teacher, GHS's core values is making student choice an option. Especially with Bozeman's switch to two high schools, it is vital to the staff that students still have the opportunity to try out new interests and explore hobbies in-school. This evolution of schools focusing on individuals and becoming more personable is a big reason why colleges may favor well-rounded applicants over those with perfect grades and test scores. An understanding of the applicants’ goals, passions, and motivators is what many schools have started to value the most. 

Of course, different colleges are going to require different things in order for the applicant to reach their standards. Students will also, no doubt, have different academic goals which will change what schools they look into and how they want to distinguish themselves during the application process. The whole process is relatively subjective to the individual and their desired school. Menlo Coaching, a test-prep and college consulting firm, made up of a well-educated team dedicated to guiding conversations about furthering young people’s careers, goes into great detail in their “How College Admissions is Changing in 2022: What You Need to Know,” article. Menlo experts describe how colleges may have changed perspectives on the criteria for incoming students in the last year and how, for students wanting to attend a school that has gone test-optional, as many high ranked art schools have done for example, there are ways to utilize “inter-personal” connections to stand out. The growth of access to education, and the internet has led to the ability of young people to achieve monumental things. Therefore, colleges are left with an excess number of qualified applicants that they must find new strategies to filter out those who are the best fit. 

According to PBS News, after the COVID-19 Pandemic, “Nearly 80 percent of four- year colleges and universities went test-optional” and US News reported that by the fall of 2024, and in over 1,900 colleges, it will no longer be necessary for students to apply with their SAT and/or ACT scores. This could be very good news for many high school seniors looking to attend secondary education, but who are unsure of their qualifications. As SAT and ACT scores are becoming less essential to colleges, there may be less stress imposed on high school students about getting a great score. This may just mean that students will need to spend more time on distinguishing themselves through their passions and goals, outside of the traditional academic ones. Extracurriculars are expected to become more and more important in the approaching years. So joining clubs, playing sports, learning instruments, getting a job, and taking time to volunteer will all be helpful experiences to add to your college application forms. 

The Senior Project is something that shows how schools want to focus on expanding students’ hobbies and help create more well-rounded individuals. Surely, all seniors at GHS are aware of the time and effort that must be put into creating their senior projects. It requires dedicated research and a passionate outreach. Outreach is the aspect of the Senior Project where students take what they learned and bring it to the community. They get to volunteer or offer their support in any way that they feel fit. For example, in the past, students have volunteered at animal shelters, worked in soup kitchens, and so much more. It is these experiences that test-optional and all colleges for that matter, want to see on applications. It shows that students have learned from real-life situations, not just lectures from the classroom. In the past, these types of projects were never available and the fact that they are now shows how the educational experience is evolving. 

However, with all that being said, the educational experience has not reached complete change yet. Despite narrowing candidates down by their individuality, colleges still want to know that students are going to be capable of keeping up in class and performing well, grade-wise. Which is why taking standardized tests and working hard for good grades can never hurt your chances. So, the best way to prepare for this new age of college requirements is to explore passions and goals that you may have, outside of the traditional academic ones while also maintaining good grades. Even if a lot of colleges and universities are experimenting with test-optional and test-blind applications, there are still some benefits to taking those tests. Firstly, they can back you up on paper, showing that you are dedicated to learning. They can also open up opportunities for scholarship, and if your goal is to attend a prestigious college or Ivy League, many of those still heavily value your grades and test scores. 

To answer the question, “Does the ACT matter anymore?” The answer is that it depends on who you are and what your goals are as far as secondary education after high school. For those that are looking into attending less conventional colleges, the ACT may not be as important. Focusing on your passions and hobbies could be very beneficial to you and your college career. But for those who want to go to more traditional schools, hobbies and passions will help distinguish for sure. Good grades and high test scores may still be vital for students to be accepted into their  dream schools. So, good news for those who have an aversion to testing, maybe this new age of college admissions will relieve some of the stress that inevitably comes with taking standardized tests.