CUPERTINO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2024 / For decades, the SAT and ACT have been rites of passage for college-bound students. These standardized tests once seemed like a universal measure of academic ability and a primary ticket to college admissions. But times are changing. With many colleges going test-optional or even test-blind, the role of standardized testing in college admissions is clearly shifting. But does this mean the SAT and ACT are no longer relevant?
Over the last few years, the SAT and ACT have taken a back seat in the admissions process at many schools. A report from FairTest reveals that more than 1,900 colleges and universities in the U.S. are now test-optional, which means students aren't required to submit their scores as part of their applications.
Eric Eng, founder and CEO of AdmissionSght, the country's leading college admissions consulting company, believes that "this trend may go on for a long time. These test-optional policies attract a more diverse range of upcoming college students, and this is a good thing for colleges all over the country." According to Eng, these policies seem to have broken down an unseen wall that has often kept out disadvantaged low-income students and students of color.
Critics argue that the SAT and ACT are biased against certain groups of students. Significant evidence suggests that students from wealthier families, who can afford expensive test preparation services, tend to score higher on these tests.
The Shift to Test-Optional Policies
In recent years, many universities have adopted test-optional policies. This shift gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic when testing centers closed, and many students couldn't take the exams.
For example, the University of California system, one of the largest public university systems in the country, completely dropped the SAT and ACT from its admissions process. It moved toward a "test-blind" policy, meaning that even if students submit their scores, they won't be considered. Furthermore, this move was after they found that SAT and ACT scores were less predictive of a student's success than high school GPA, especially for underrepresented minority students.
Despite the rise of test-optional schools, many students are still choosing to take the SAT or ACT. The Common App revealed that 43% of students submitted SAT or ACT scores during the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. This means many students and parents still see value in these tests, perhaps viewing them as a way to stand out in competitive admissions.
However, the numbers are certainly lower than they were in previous years. Before the pandemic, close to 80% of students applying to four-year colleges submitted SAT or ACT scores. The drop in submissions may reflect both the growing number of test-optional schools and a shift in how students and their families perceive the necessity of these tests.
More competitive schools have yet to follow this trend-at least some of them. In fact, half of the Ivy League schools brought back standardized test scores to their already strict admission requirements. Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown have chosen to reinstate the requirement for standardized test scores, such as the SAT, in their admissions process. And very recently, Harvard followed suit, announcing in April 2024. All Harvard applicants for the Fall 2025 admissions will now be required to send in their test scores. The rest of the Ivies - Columbia, Princeton, UPenn, and Cornell - remain test-optional.
What does this mean to the applicants?
"Colleges may have realized that it is difficult to tell students apart without test scores," said Eric Eng. "Grades have inflated immensely over the last 20 years. Around 47% of high school seniors graduate with an A average. This makes it challenging to assess students."
Eric Eng firmly believes that "if your student doesn't have a standardized test score, they could miss out on billions of dollars in college scholarships, both from universities and private companies. College is expensive and those scholarships are more important than ever."
So, are the SAT and ACT still relevant? The answer is both yes and no.
While more schools are embracing test-optional or test-blind policies, the SAT and ACT still play a role in the admissions process at many institutions. Students who do well on these tests can still use their scores to boost their applications, especially at competitive schools like the Ivy League. These test scores are also a gateway to more scholarship opportunities.
That said, the trend toward more holistic admissions suggests that the weight placed on standardized test scores is diminishing. "As we move forward, it's likely that the SAT and ACT will continue to evolve," Eng proposed. These changes may help the SAT remain relevant in a shifting admissions landscape, but it's clear that the days of the SAT and ACT being the gatekeepers to higher education are numbered.
According to Eric Eng, "the relevance of these tests will depend on how students and colleges continue to navigate the evolving world of college admissions. The SAT and ACT are no longer the be-all and end-all of college admissions. While they may still hold value for some students, the popularity of test-optional policies has reshaped the landscape, making it easier for students to apply without the pressure of standardized testing."
About AdmissionSight
AdmissionSight is a full-service admissions consulting company with over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process to college, transfer, graduate, and international programs.
AdmissionSight's services include SAT/AP preparation, science research program, passion project development, extracurricular involvement, academic competition preparation, summer program applications, personal statement editing, interview preparation, and letter of recommendation strategy. On average, 75% of their students are admitted to an Ivy League university, Stanford, MIT, UChicago, and Caltech, one of the highest track records in the industry.
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SOURCE: AdmissionSight
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