Following the global pandemic, higher-educational institutions made amendments to their application criteria. To account for the uncertainty and nerves of future applicants, institutions across the country made standardized exams optional for students. This was meant to alleviate the stress of how, when, and if to take the SAT or ACT for high school seniors. The pandemic was a catalyst to a longer conversation — making these exams optional was meant to even the playing ground.
Standardized exams, even the Advanced Placement Exams, came with a hefty cost. These exams enhance a student’s college application, which also comes at a fee. Every school on a prospective applicant’s list came with a price tag. For instance, Brown University’s application fee is set at $75. Most students tend to purchase standardized exam review books and attend courses to make sure they understand material. Exam by exam, application by application, it is quick to see how the sum can break the bank.
College admission offices see a variety of applications from across the world. Some come from wealthier zip codes and others have to fight for resources for their students. The education received simply because a school has access to computers or college counselors for their students can have a world of an impact. Many students have the misconstrued idea that the SAT or ACT will make or break their application. Higher education now considers prospective students on a holistic review, taking into account optional test scores, report cards, extracurricular activities, and the list continues. They want to see students being students in the classroom and leaders outside of it. Top schools have seen a more diverse first-year class and hope this trend will continue to unravel.
However, admission officers just added the word optional to their testing ideology; they did not get rid of it all together. It still provides this notion to students that they should be taking the ACT to get into college. They should be taking the SAT to increase the chances of getting into their top school. It starts to feel like an additional choice students must make, with the added uncertainty of college applications.
The start of 2024 also announced that certain schools, most notably Yale, Dartmouth, Georgetown, and MIT, will no longer be test optional. They will require students to present either the SAT or ACT to attach to their application. Many universities were running a four-year long phase, seeing how the numbers would affect their student body.
While the future of standardized testing is still up in the air, the standardized testing system could implement big time change. A long term goal could be to reduce the price of the exam, or have it be free of charge for students. Oftentimes, schools have been administering the SAT to make sure no student goes unnoticed. This could be a great strategy to make sure students have the tools they need for college application success. Many students may not know what is required of them to successfully gain entry into an American university. Having steps set in place provides a moment of relief in the chaotic application process.