Test-optional - what does it mean for me?

Test optional!!!  These words strike terror and confusion into the hearts of students and parents.  What does it mean?  What does it mean for me? In this month’s newsletter, I’m going to try to provide some clarity about test-optionality and to give families action steps they can take to navigate that landscape.  

Why are colleges going test optional?  Colleges are taking advantage of the pandemic and the associated difficulties with taking the tests to dump testing requirements. This allows them to achieve another of their institutional priorities: increasing diversity.  As performance on the SAT has always been closely tied to family income, disadvantaged students have traditionally scored lower than their privileged peers.  But as admitted students’ test scores are still an element in college rankings (although a relatively minor one), colleges had been reluctant to admit otherwise-qualified students who would bring down their averages.  Going test-optional allows colleges to have both high averages and diverse student bodies.  

Ok but what does that mean for my student?  Like everything in the college admissions process, it depends on your specific circumstances.  I’ve created the attached flow chart to help identify which paths apply to which students.  To be clear, this is presupposing that the student is not applying from a disadvantaged background.  

To sum up, if testing is a requirement, you have to take them - to some extent, that's easier, as at least it's clear.

Bottom line: if they're optional, you can think of tests like extracurriculars - they're not required, but every other applicant is doing them!

Clearly, there's enough gray area that it’s worthwhile to make a strategy around your specific targets. Let’s talk about it!