Standardized tests have traditionally been a major part of the college admissions process. A majority of colleges and universities nationwide have required either the SAT or ACT as a measure of an applicant’s eligibility for the institution. In recent years, however, the emphasis placed on standardized tests has started to diminish, as schools have begun adopting test-optional policies. Only amid the coronavirus pandemic have the tides turned significantly, causing an overwhelming number of schools to abandon the standardized test requirements and take a test-optional approach to admissions. But is this change meant to last beyond the virus, or is it just a temporary measure?
To answer this question, it is first necessary to understand the reasons behind the decisions to go test optional. Safety precautions are the primary reason. Many students feel that it would be unsafe to have to take an exam in-person, for fear of catching the virus. A lot of underprivileged students do not even have access to safe testing facilities. These students should not be punished for their adherence to safety measures and/or their inability to even access a testing environment. Noting these concerns, an increasing number of schools have modified their admissions processes to allow students to opt out of taking a test. The nationwide shift has brought to the forefront a multitude of realizations about standardized testing, most notably the fact that the word “standardized” is a misnomer; in reality, underprivileged students often do not have access to the same test preparation resources as more privileged students do, leading to a gap in test scores based primarily on status and wealth. Aside from this issue, some colleges, such as Notre Dame, are also realizing that GPA is a more accurate depiction of a student’s skills than a single test score.
And yet, despite the merits of going test optional, a problem has been raised as well: the gap in admissions. Due to the test optional policy, more students are now applying to top-tier schools. According to the Common Application, the most selective schools’ admissions are up 17% on average, with Harvard up 42% from their previous peak and Colgate over double their normal admissions numbers. As these top schools get an influx of applicants, the lower-tier schools application numbers have dipped significantly. This loss of applicants means a potential loss of tuition money for low-ranked colleges in a time when every dollar is crucial. Essentially, the test-optional policies have created an admissions gap that perpetuates the cycle of the top schools prospering while the struggling ones continue to struggle.
Regardless of the efficacy of the decision to go test optional, it does seem that more and more colleges are doing so. Already, a significant number of schools have announced their decision to remain test optional into next year. I asked a professional college counselor about her thoughts on the matter. “Based on the number of colleges and universities that have already announced they will be test-optional for the Class of 2022 (Ivies, Williams College, Tufts and UMass), and test-blind (the University of California [for California residents only]), we anticipate that the majority of colleges and universities that were test-optional for the Class of 2021 will remain test-optional for the Class of 2022,” she predicted. Judging by the immense shift, it’s difficult not to imagine that other schools will adopt the test-optional form in the near future. And it seems that although COVID might have provided the spark, the test optional system will last beyond the end of the virus.