Colleges Are Becoming SAT Optional: Is This a Good or Bad Idea?

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Introduction

The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is one of society’s most notorious tests. The consensus ideology of the SAT is that you need this test to get into a good school and that it determines which school you go to. Although this idea may be true, in 2020, when COVID-19 swept the country, a wave of schools became test-optional. Universities like Harvard and Yale were just some of the big-name universities that were swayed by the pandemic.

Pros of Test-Optional:

Colleges becoming test-optional is the best-case scenario for some smart students who unfortunately performed poorly on the SAT. It also benefits lower-class students who don’t have the same resources as upper-class students to prepare. This gives them the ability to emphasize their achievements in the face of adversity, rather than having a test score define them as a student in the eyes of an admissions officer. The policy also eliminates any stress factor when taking a test, when the average student is taking an SAT, they won’t have to stress themselves out into making sloppy mistakes while taking the test. Besides the fact that the policy can benefit low-scoring students, it also benefits the higher-scoring students. It allows a student who scored high on the SAT to show off their abilities in a field of students who didn’t submit a test score. Not only will it make them look better than an average student, but it can eliminate much competition in helping them get into the school they applied to. The test-optional policy is arguably one of the best things that could’ve happened to mediocre test takers and in the long-term can change someone’s life by expressing only their strengths in other terms of academics.

Cons of Test-Optional:

Schools becoming test-optional can cause more problems than it solves. Firstly, standardized testing is crucial to ensuring a fair evaluation of all applicants. Standardized tests provide a definite metric to compare students from different demographics. In a way, it levels the college application playing field as it can be a great showcase for a student who has fewer resources than a more fortunate student. Without standardized tests though, colleges practically allow more students to spend time polishing their extracurriculars and applications to perfection, making it almost impossible to be denied. Not to mention, it allows students with a lower GPA to show their potential to admissions officers and shy away from the negative parts of a student’s application. Colleges keeping their test-required policy can be very helpful in leveling the college application playing field.

Should Schools Be Test-Optional

Although both sides provide compelling arguments, the idea of colleges slowly becoming test-optional is a complex issue. Test-optional policies can benefit those who have strengths outside of testing and also pave the way for low-scoring students. Yet, required test submissions can bring fairness to the application process and ensure a student’s academic ability. Both ideas are great attempts to create a system that is fair for those who want to go to college, but achieving balance requires careful consideration of the wave of students and their strengths and weaknesses.