Similar Concerns About the Coronavirus Have Put SAT and ACT Tests on Hold for Spring

Similar concerns regarding the ongoing pandemic have led many educational institutions to temporarily suspend the requirement of standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. However, while many schools initially relaxed their testing requirements, a shift is happening as the spring testing season approaches. This article explores the current landscape and speculates on the future of SAT and ACT requirements in college admissions.

Temporary Suspension and Reinstatement

Given the difficulties in facilitating standardized testing during the pandemic, many educational institutions sent out a temporary suspension of test requirement policies. This decision made sense as many schools turned their attention to adapting online learning platforms to ensure quality education for students who could not return to campus. As the situation stabilized, many schools reinstated the test requirement, signaling a return to normalcy. Ivy League institutions, in particular, have announced that they will re-emphasize the need for SAT and ACT scores in their admissions process.

The rationale behind maintaining standardized tests is clear: these scores provide a consistent metric that allows admissions officers to directly compare applicants across different backgrounds and educational systems. In contrast, other evaluation criteria like GPA, recommendations, and essays often vary significantly from one institution to another, potentially leading to biases or incomplete assessments.

/options for test-optional policies

However, some competitive colleges and universities are already opting for the test-optional policy, including institutions like Stanford and the Claremont Colleges in California. These schools have made the decision to allow applicants to opt out of submitting SAT or ACT scores, knowing that such scores do not accurately represent the entire applicant profile. Other schools are likely to follow suit in the coming months, making the transition to a test-optional or test-blind system more widespread.

It is noteworthy that the decision to adopt a test-optional policy is driven by a variety of factors, including the current challenges posed by the pandemic and a growing body of evidence suggesting that high school grades are more predictive of a student's success in college than standardized test scores. This leds to an interesting quandary: will SAT/ACT requirements be permanently revised, or will schools stick to these traditional assessment methods?

Recent Studies and Predictions

Recent studies have indicated that high school grades are better predictors of college completion and success than SAT or ACT scores. This finding is likely to influence the decisions of many educational institutions. However, critics argue that such findings might be oversimplified due to the various factors that influence academic success. Nonetheless, the growing body of evidence against the reliability and predictive validity of standardized tests is compelling.

At present, a SAT exam is scheduled for mid-September. If this exam is canceled, colleges will need to make a decision based on the circumstances at that time. For those who fail to register, it may indeed be a missed opportunity. However, the broader trend suggests that the landscape of college admissions is evolving, with more institutions considering the removal of SAT/ACT requirements.

Future Outlook

The decision on whether to permanently revise SAT/ACT requirements will depend on the trends observed over the next few years. As more schools experiment with test-optional or test-blind admissions, the data collected will provide greater insights into the effectiveness of these policies. If the results continue to support the notion that high school grades are better predictors of success, we may see a significant shift in higher education admissions policies in the future.

Given the current state of higher education and the ongoing pandemic, it is an exciting time for college admissions. Colleges are adapting, and the role of standardized tests in the admissions process may very well change. Students and parents should stay informed and consider the implications of these changes on their college applications.