Common wisdom suggests that people write what they know. Given that I began my admissions career as a test prep expert a decade ago in the days of the 2400-point SAT, it only makes sense that my first blog series covers the SAT and ACT.
In this series, we’ll be discussing standardized testing, specifically the SAT and the ACT, and whether or not your student should take them. Prior to 2020, the vast majority of colleges required an SAT or ACT score to apply to school, there were very few colleges that were “test optional,” and even fewer that were “test blind”. With the debate over equity and access for standardized testing, some schools were already making the transition to test optional admissions prior to the pandemic, but COVID accelerated that change.
What are “test optional” and “test blind” admissions?
If you’ve been keeping up with admissions, or you have an older child or sibling who has gone through the process recently, you may already be familiar. But for everyone else:
Test Optional: This means you can submit a test score, but it is not required. If you submit one and ask colleges to consider it, they will factor that data into their review of your application for admission. But if you choose not to submit a score for consideration, they will consider your application in absence of that extra data point. The percentage of students who submit a score varies by school, but some schools report as few as 44% of applicants submitting scores. As of Spring 2023, there are over 1,500 colleges and universities that have test-optional admissions policies.[1]
Georgetown, MIT, Georgia Tech, and Purdue are some of the notable colleges that have resumed requiring the SAT or ACT for admissions.[2]
Test Blind: A test-blind college will not accept your test scores, even if you have them and want to send them in with your application. The most notable test-blind institutions are the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems, including Berkeley, UCLA, and CalPoly SLO.[3]
Obviously, if your student is applying to GeorgiaTech, Georgetown, MIT, or Purdue, then the answer to “should my student take the SAT or ACT?” is a resounding yes! But for everyone else, today’s test optional college admissions landscape can make it difficult to determine whether taking on the added work and stress of a standardized test is worth it. But we’ll answer that and some other key questions for you as we go.
In this series, we’ll explore:
If this interests you, follow along each week as we shine some light on this ever-changing part of the college admissions process. New articles will release every Monday.
Or, if you want a tailored SAT strategy for your child today, book a free consultation. We will listen to your and your child’s needs and give you some advice to get you started.
Citations
[1] “ACT/SAT Optional List” Fair Test. https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/ (Accessed: Jul 3, 2023).
[2] “Undergraduate Admissions” Georgia Institute of Technology. https://admission.gatech.edu/first-year/standardized-tests (Accessed: Jul 3, 2023); “Preparation Process” Georgetown University. https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/applying/preparation-process/#TestRequirements (Accessed: Jul 3, 2023); “Tests and Scores” Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/tests-scores/ (Accessed: Jul 3, 2023).
[3] “What is Test Optional?” Fair Test. https://fairtest.org/test-optional/ (Accessed: Jul 3, 2023).