The role of standardized testing in college admissions decisions has been subject to increasing scrutiny over the past few years. Globally acknowledged as the pivotal point of applications, tests such SAT and ACT are going through an unparalleled predicament. Looking ahead, this changing picture of college admissions is poised to disrupt the test-prep industry; for many schools, it has already raised questions about just how important these tests are. This piece delves into what is going on now, some possible changes we may see ahead, and the consequences for students, colleges, and higher education overall.
The Current State of Standardized Testing
For decades, standardized tests have played a major role in college admissions. They were created to bridge the gap between students from different educational systems by acting as a standardized measure. But critics say that these tests are biased in favor of the privileged, and those who can afford to prepare for them; they believe the scores do not effectively measure a student’s true potential or academic aptitude.
The pandemic has sharpened the argument over testing. When test centers were closed and access limited, many colleges and universities implemented some form of one-year or multi-session policy where they simply went test-optional/test-blind for the most recent admissions cycles. This relocation has driven many institutions to consider these assessments and how relevant they are in their admissions process.
The Rise of Test-Optional Policies
One of the most notable and widespread trends in emerging has been test-optional admissions policies. These policies allow students to decide whether or not they would like to include standardized test scores in their application. This means lowering the crosshairs for students who struggle on standardized tests or lack the resources to prep.
Some, such as Bethany Christian School in Temple and Proviso Math & Science Academy near Chicago are indefinitely test-optional. And several of the nation’s elite universities — all eight Ivy League schools among them — have extended their current policies beyond the COVID crisis. The fact that so many schools have switched to this newly expanded requirement only means that these institutions see the benefit of the admissions process progression from just looking at test scores.
Those in favor of abolishing standardized test scores from the admissions process contend that these tests:
Socialize disparities: By the nature of money, kids with better resources will have a running start due to various test preparation programs available.
Cannot predict success in college: Research has shown that a certain high school GPA is a better predictor of how you might do in college as well, than SATs.
Create unnecessary stress: The high-stakes nature of these tests pressures students and threatens to impede their mental health.
Limiting the curriculum: Schools may offer a narrower program of study in their efforts to boost test scores.
Nevertheless, there are still pro-testing arguments to be made in admissions:
It keeps an objective measure where students from different schools and backgrounds can all be judged based on a standardized metric produced by the test.
High scores: The high scores may be able to identify students with potential, but who have gone under the radar (i.e. underrated) perhaps as the products of an underperforming high school.
College readiness predictions: With other information, test scores can help predict how prepared a student is to do college-level work.
This leads me to my next point, efficiency: It is much easier and quicker for an admissions officer to skim a quantitative score on the ACT/SAT than it would be if those scores were not standardized.
A shift to portfolio-based admissions: This year, some schools are moving from an emphasis on emphasizing grades and test scores alone to greater weights in student portfolios that demonstrate academic performance, activities outside of the classroom (extracurriculars), as well as personal projects.
While students would still need to pass state tests, schools could come up with their assessments instead that test more specific skills necessary for success in college.
Interviews & Essay: To assess critical thinking and communication skills, students will be given a chance to sit for personal interviews along with essay writing.
AI-supported evaluation: Applying AI tools in reviewing applications for a more comprehensive examination with reduced bias is something that some institutions are looking at.
The change in standardized testing is having a big impact on college admissions:
For students: Less focus on test scores might be relieving some of the pressure, but it also places a heightened importance on other areas — like grades, extracurriculars, and essays.
For high schools: Schools should likely adjust curricula and college preparation efforts that skew towards test readiness rather than developing well-rounded students.
For colleges: The admission office will have to come up with new strategies for uniformly evaluating applicants without the usual crutch of test scores.
Testing industry Winners: Companies like College Board and ACT, Inc. may need to reconsider the products they focus on to stay relevant as many schools adapt accordingly to assertTrue
It is obvious that the significance of standardized testing in college admissions is, indeed will be altered but what exactly [a more] fair future would look like remains a box-in-wait. I suspect we’re going to continue seeing more test-optional and potentially some schools that will drop testing altogether.
That said, there is almost no chance that high-stakes standardized tests are going anywhere. As competitive as the admissions games have become — and make no bones about, college selection is a game — I bet some students will continue to take these tests. In addition, others may still choose to employ test scores in certain areas such as course placement or scholarship awarding.
The problem for schools of education is to think through a fairer, more inclusive scheme that simultaneously judges student prescience with the goal that they are steered in their best direction. It will involve a mix of traditional metrics, new forms of assessment, and refocusing on the traits that predict success in higher education and beyond.
While this evolution continues, students and parents need to understand the process so that they can properly discuss what may be in store down the road with educators and policymakers about how college admissions should be utilized. Through collaboration, we can work to provide a system that allows for equitable opportunity not only in showcasing student potential but also in engaging students at their own pace.
