Illustration by Riya Charora

In recent years, colleges in America have begun to see that there is more to students than the score they receive on a single three-hour test. Last year especially, many schools became test optional due to the coronavirus pandemic, which made it difficult or impossible for some applicants to take the SAT or ACT. Test optional policies mean that students do not have to submit standardized testing scores if they choose not to and have encouraged many students to apply to schools they would not have otherwise. This has been beneficial for both students and institutions.

The benefit for schools is shown in a study by Syverson et al. The study found that in the years after test optional policies were adopted, 29 percent more applications were received at private universities and 11 percent more were received at public universities. More applicants for each school means a wider range of students to select from. In addition, these colleges had an increase in the number of Black and Hispanic students applying and being admitted, reflecting positively on the reputation of the school for accommodating a more diverse population of students. Lastly, the new policy has had no negative impact on student success. While students who applied without submitting test scores tended to have lower grades in their first year, they had an equal and, in some cases, higher graduation rate than students who submitted their scores.

Students have also benefited from test optional policies, which tend to provide more equal opportunities for minority and low income applicants. Akil Bello, the Princeton Review’s director of equity and access, argues that standardized testing does not accurately measure the talent of lower income students. This is due to a lack of access to testing resources such as private tutoring because of financial obstacles. Even the test itself costs money, which some families are not able to afford, meaning that those potential applicants would not be able to apply at a school that requires testing as a part of their application process.

However, steps have been taken to provide more equal opportunities for low income students. Programs such as Khan Academy provide free SAT and ACT courses which are accessible to anyone with internet access and an account and have been shown to be extremely helpful to students. The program has been associated with an average score gain of 115 points after 20 hours of studying, according to a statement on the College Board website.

Although there has been progress in closing the gap in opportunities between low-income and high-income students, it is important that universities keep or adopt test optional policies in the future for their own benefit as well as that of American adolescents and their families.