“We are in this together. We hope to navigate these difficult times with you as you begin your college application journey,” Stanford University announced in response to COVID-19, reassuring applicants that the California institute will be test-optional for 2020-21. The test-optional system offers students the choice of whether or not to submit standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, etc.) along with their application. These colleges insist that if students choose not to, they will in no way be disadvantaged. Brown, Cornell, and Harvard have similarly adopted a test-optional system for 2021 applicants, with Harvard stating they understand the “insurmountable challenges” the pandemic has created. Conversely, other schools such as the University of Florida have refused to make the switch. Being test-optional caters to students’ needs, alleviates stress from situations they cannot control, and is overall beneficial to both students who choose to submit their scores and to students who do not. More colleges across the US should adopt this policy and need to make a strong commitment to upholding it. Some universities, such as Yale and Columbia, have chosen a one-year test-optional policy. These schools ought to strongly consider extending the policy for the high school classes to come, all of which will continue to be impacted by the pandemic.
For many students, not submitting standardized test scores would be advantageous. When asked how COVID-19 has affected students’ ability to take typical college application exams, IHS counselor Eva Collier responded, “It was more difficult to take the test, as there were many test dates that had to be cancelled as a result of the pandemic, so students had fewer opportunities to be able to take an SAT or ACT… this also limited the number of retakes a student might have otherwise chosen to do. Logistically, it was harder to get a test date and it was much later in the process than many might have otherwise chosen.” Given inconsistent and last-minute school closures nation-wide, students may have found themselves unable to take an exam at all, an unfortunate conundrum some of the class of 2020 became stuck in last year. Students may also have felt generally unsafe and uncomfortable going into school for several hours at a time to take the exam.
Alternatively, if a student earned a score they weren’t satisfied with but had no opportunity to retake it, they should have the choice to omit a score they believe doesn’t show the best version of themselves. Colleges cannot blame students for circumstances out of their control, and certainly shouldn’t force them to submit scores they don’t feel are representative of their actual abilities.
The test-optional system is not only valuable to students who don’t wish to submit test scores, but is also favorable to those who prefer to share them. Students who earned a score they are pleased with can submit it with confidence, providing themselves with a sense of security in such a confusing process. When IHS freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were polled by The Tattler and asked whether or not they would submit their test scores if colleges were test-optional for their class, one student commented, “I would, because it shows that I care about my schooling and education and that I’m determined. It shows my true potential.” Others discussed the hard work they put into studying for the tests and school in general, describing how they’d want to share the culmination of their efforts. The college application process is stressful enough as it is. As such feelings are exacerbated by the uncertainty the pandemic has brought upon students, the test-optional program would allow more confident students the option to submit their scores as they choose. Offering them at least a feeling of stability and strength, such a system clearly benefits all students, both those who’d prefer to withhold their scores and those who’d prefer to send them in.
The college application process as a whole has the potential to be drastically improved with the implementation of a common test-optional system. Discussing the advantages of the policy, one IHS student stated, “The pros are the school is forced to look at you as a whole person (your passions, how you impact your community, your school, and family and friends), versus looking at just one test score. In very elite universities, the SAT is not used to admit students, but to eliminate students. Once that first round of elimination is done, then they look at the applications more closely.” Another advantage is more and more opportunities for all students begin to open up. Standardized tests often measure wealth over intelligence, favoring those who can afford to spend money on expensive test prep books and courses, and those who can pay the costs of several retakes. One student noted, “A lot of people may not have the resources to study and prepare for standardized tests. By making them optional, it may put students on a more level playing field.” A test-optional system ensures a more equal and unbiased chance for every student, even encouraging students to apply to high-tier schools they wouldn’t have previously considered.
In the currently common cold-hearted application process, the emphasis is often placed on scores—even though, as described by Mrs. Collier, “It’s one number from one test on one day. It neither defines a student as an individual nor gives a complete picture of their academic potential.” The College Board has long claimed that the SAT strongly predicts college success, yet new research shows that while SAT and ACT scores reserve students’ spots in college, they don’t accurately foresee post-high school achievement. According to a study by the University of Chicago, high school GPAs are five times stronger at predicting college graduation than ACT scores, suggesting the importance of test scores is overemphasized. GPAs, on the other hand, accurately test many skills over long periods of time. In a test-optional system, the emphasis is not on one ill-defining number, but on the student themselves: the effort they consistently put into school, the role they played in their community, and what they truly cared about. The qualities that actually predict a student’s success in college are placed in the spotlight.
There are strategies both students and colleges can implement to help eliminate the growing concern that a student who submits test scores will have an advantage over one who does not. Test scores, when raised through retakes, can show a student’s improvement over time. As a substitute for test scores, a student can highlight their growth throughout high school on their application by discussing how they’ve risen to leadership positions in clubs, sports, and their community. It is also important that colleges adapt and work in tandem with students. They must emphasize a student’s essay, their accomplishments, and their commitment to the school. Combined with the stress of constantly adapting to Zoom classes, an ever-changing routine, and a loss of resources for students, it is essential that colleges have sympathy and stay true to their word, ensuring students who don’t attach scores are not put at a disadvantage.
From everyday home life to the high school environment, everything that significantly impacts students has drastically changed, and it’s time the college application process follows suit and properly adapts. Like many colleges already, it is vital that more schools across the US adopt a test-optional policy, where all students benefit, at least until the pandemic no longer heavily influences students’ educations. While colleges may be wary of changing their structure, if there’s a singular time when the rules should be shifted, it’s during a global pandemic.