It may not be the most traditional approach, but college education is continuing to explore test-optional policies. To avoid any confusion, this pertains to standardized test requirements, whether it be ACT or SAT scores, for example.
With factors such as testing costs and certain biases in subject matter or testing criteria have given more light to test-optional admissions. This helps to make way for a more diverse audience in higher education, among other efforts like predictive admissions.
Aspects like GPA and extracurriculars will still be a part of the process, but many colleges are looking to ditch archaic admissions requirements. This article explores the rise of test-optional policies in higher education and what makes them unique.
Origins and Evolution
While testing such as the ACT or SAT has been around for decades, that doesn’t mean they’ll be a universal standard forever. These tests aim to provide common ground to measure academic ability across several core subjects. Unfortunately, considering the diverse nature of one student to the next, these tests don’t always promise the most accurate outcomes.
Over the years, many people have focused on issues with socioeconomic biases, general test fairness, and accessibility. These are common influences on the rise of test-optional policies, which started showing up around the 1960s and 1970s. As time passed, the motivation behind this test-optional shift came from many angles. There are many variables involved that can make navigating the college admissions process a challenge for any student.
Motivations Behind the Shift
A lot of this comes down to social and economic factors, but it’s one of many trends evolving in modern higher education. From unequal access to test prep to racial, gender, and cultural biases, it leads to a rather unfair experience. Standardized tests don’t accurately reflect a student’s intelligence in many ways.
Considering how these tests can act as a barrier between students and their future in education, many people are looking for a change. Even though test-optional policies aren’t a brand-new concept, it has taken years for the idea to catch on. However, there’s enough history behind them to support their success in many circumstances.
The Future of Test-Optional Admissions
As the ideas behind test-optional policies continue to grow, the parameters are bound to change with time. One possible change is a more holistic admissions process or emphasis on GPA.
It isn’t hard to see a more inclusive future like this in education, as many colleges are actively taking the test-optional approach as we speak. NYU is test-optional for class of 2025 admissions, and they’re not the only ones highlighting this for the year ahead.
Endnote
The thought of colleges being test-optional might sound outlandish to some, but the reality is that it’s only becoming more common. It has been around long enough to come up with supportive data that shows a growing consideration of the unorthodox admissions process. While the system may not be perfect in all regards, it at least provides an alternative to a one-way system that has flaws of its own.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
