The Future of Standardized Testing
The weight that standardized testing plays in the college application process has been dwindling steadily throughout the past few years. Universities have begun to rely more heavily on other factors, including extracurricular activities and personal essays, to better compose a more holistic and inclusive class. While test scores can speak to an applicant’s ability to prepare for and succeed on a particular examination, looking at their socioeconomic background, personal story, and true passions provides a deeper understanding of their potential in higher education and beyond.
Concerns among students have recently arisen regarding the efficacy and equity of standardized testing, resulting in many universities moving to test-optional policies. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this uneasiness in which the immense inequality in the college application process was most clearly revealed.
Research has shown that a stu- dent’s performance on the SAT or ACT can be heavily influenced by their socioeconomic status, racial or ethnic identity, or access to education. Applicants with access to tutors, private education, and other academic resources perform better than those who don’t have these advantages. During the pandemic, when millions of students were forced to shift to remote learn- ing, those attending better-funded schools had a higher probability of using newer and more sophisticated technology. They were better prepared for standardized tests than those attending underfunded schools.
Many people criticize the ACT and SAT for their substantial em- phasis on rote memorization and test-taking skills as opposed to critical thinking and creativity. According to them, a well-rounded college student should be able to independently solve problems, think analytically, and exhibit ingenuity, so colleges should assess these skills on their admissions examinations. Standardized tests fail to assess these abilities, leading to many institutions adopting test-optional policies.
Prior to the pandemic, a select number of liberal arts colleges and research universities like Bowdoin and George Washington were already test-optional. However, that number has skyrocketed over the last three years as institutions see the flaws in standardized testing. Students can decide whether to submit their scores or not, causing admissions officers to focus on the more personalized and individual aspects of their applications. By promoting test-optional policies, universities acknowledge the inequity in access to test preparation resources and educational disparity throughout the United States.
Some universities, such as the entire University of California system, have even elected to prevent applicants from submitting test scores entirely. Students will have the option to submit scores after they enroll, but they only affect the courses that students would take and have no effect on the application process. In March 2023, Columbia University became the first Ivy League university to go permanently test-optional. Applicants will all be reviewed equally, regardless of whether they submit or do not submit test scores.
Although universities have largely moved away from required standardized tests, some challenges must be taken into consideration. Primarily, standardized tests previously allowed colleges to objectively benchmark applicants in a way that GPA, courses, and extracurricular activities can’t do. No single school offers the same courses, and different levels of classes mean different things throughout the country. However, test-optional policies are a step in the right direction toward a fair and equitable college admissions process.
