Before COVID, submitting SAT or ACT scores were a must for every college applicant. During COVID though, test-optional policies were widely and quickly implemented to preserve as much access to college admissions as possible since many test centers (which are schools) closed, so SAT’s and ACT’s couldn’t be administered.
While many laud the change in policy, others may now be disadvantaged or possibly prejudiced in the evaluation process. Those students who can demonstrate their ability with a standardized test score may need to scramble to fill their resumes before applying to college. Thus, such applicants may not present the most comprehensive view of their admissions qualifications, simply because the rules of admissions have so radically changed.
Additionally, students who decide to submit their SAT or ACT score have no way to guarantee they will be considered with test-optional admissions, possibly further discounting their applications given that admissions officers report retaining the option to not evaluate a test score if they don’t believe the score is useful.
Thus, all applicants will navigate even greater complexity in deciding what information to provide in their application so they’re fairly evaluated, most likely needing experienced counsel in order to make informed decisions.
Test-optional admissions means greater choices for applicants, yet in the newness of such policies, families can risk strategic missteps without information and an experienced advisor to reason how to use the information. Talk with Jill at Creative Marbles if you are in need of expert educational advising during the time of test-optional admissions.
