Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.
For students who applied to college before 2020’s testing policy reinvention, it’s hard not to feel both envious of today’s increased flexibility and relief for avoiding the ensuing chaos.
Educators, researchers, parents and students for decades have argued that standardized testing, specifically in college admissions, is not an accurate measure of student potential and is often influenced by factors beyond academic knowledge.
In 2020, these arguments were thrust into national attention after more than 1,600 colleges and universities went test-optional for the 2020-21 application season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to FairTest. In 2022, the University of Maryland announced it would remain test-optional through the spring and fall 2025 admissions cycles, but has yet to permanently commit to a testing policy.
While both avenues have the potential for positive and negative impacts, a unique, text-flexible policy achieves a fair compromise that is more representative of students’ academic potential.
Regardless of which path this university should take, we must commit to one permanently. In an increasingly competitive climate, college admissions preparation begins early, and high schoolers deserve to know which of their doings most determine their future. Until a better choice becomes available, a test-flexible policy is the most generous and equitable approach for this university.
The Harvard Educational Review found the SAT gives an unfair advantage to white students due to writing topics that cater to the demographic. This claim is supported by a 2022 analysis of College Board examination records, which reveal white test takers were more than seven times more likely than their Black peers to score between a 1400 to 1600 on the SAT, a range typically required for admission into the most selective universities.
Low-income students have also been shown to score disproportionately low compared to wealthier students. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why — higher-income families can afford better tutors, study materials and other test preparation resources than lower-income families.
And of course, taking the exams are an expense of their own. Registering for an SAT test costs $68, and even if a student is eligible for a fee waiver, they’re underused and may leave them without the opportunity to retake the test until they get their desired result.
In this context, strict testing requirements do not align with this university’s commitment to reduce financial barriers and ensure attendance is affordable to all state residents. The dissolution of required standardized testing is the natural path to achieving college admissions equity.
But separate research conducted by MIT and Dartmouth found that test-optional policies harm low-income students who rely on standardized testing to demonstrate their academic promise when competing against wealthier students who have access to advanced coursework and extracurricular activities.
These conflicting claims about standardized testing beg the enduring question: what is the fairest way to assess student potential?
This university should stray from both extremes and implement a policy that requires testing yet offers more freedom and versatility to students.
Earlier this year, Yale University joined its contemporaries in reinstating its standardized testing requirements, adopting a “test-flexible” policy that allows prospective students to choose from one of four standardized testing options, allowing them to submit the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam scores in place of SAT and ACT results.
Because AP and IB exams are centered on specific subjects, they are typically more well-rounded representations of student performance than a single SAT or ACT exam and are more akin to assessing GPA. They’re also homogeneous and do not face the inflation and variance obstacles that traditional grades do.
AP and IB scores will also allow students to showcase their advanced abilities in subjects beyond math and reading. At a diverse, STEM-focused institution like this university, student potential in computer, natural, and social sciences, foreign language and culture and the arts deserves to be considered.
A test-flexible policy achieves a reasonable compromise — one that enables this university to use standardized yet more diversified data when making admissions decisions.
Anushka Shah is a sophomore government and politics major with a concentration in international relations. She can be reached at fromanushkashah@gmail.com.
