Every year students scramble to find the best tutors and textbooks to guide them through the biggest obstacle course known to any high schooler: the dreaded SAT. Luckily, many colleges are offering a way for students to focus on more important parts of their academic careers by becoming test-optional.  

    Test-optional colleges are schools that have admissions policies that do not require students to submit SAT and ACT scores when applying.

    According to FairTest, the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, there are currently more than 850 test-optional schools in the United States, including Wesleyan University and the University of Chicago.

    So, why have so many schools stopped requiring the submission of SAT and ACT scores?

    Put simply, administrators at these schools believe that basing college acceptance on test scores is not fair to all students. Cheryl Smith, a guidance counselor at South, said “The [test-optional] colleges’ goal is to look at a student’s progression throughout the transcript, rather than focusing so heavily on test scores.”

    This does not mean, however, that test-optional schools are any less esteemed than traditional colleges. The application process is still legitimate, as the student’s academic record is important. These colleges often ask to see a student’s writing samples and letters of recommendation. Additionally, test-optional colleges pay close attention to the activities students are involved in outside of school.    

    This approach is more fair to all students, as test scores do not reflect one’s intelligence because some students are simply good test-takers. This does not necessarily mean that they are proficient in the subjects that they are being tested in.

    “Your college acceptance should not be determined by your SAT score,” said Ishita Pandey, a sophomore. “It does not give everyone a fair chance.”

    Additionally, due to programs that teach strategies for standardized tests, students who struggle with certain topics may still do well on tests by applying test-taking techniques.

    On the contrary, a student may be very skilled in a subject that is not reflected on the test. A lower test score may cause colleges to turn such students away, even though they are remarkable in other aspects of the application. Ishita’s brother Abhinav, a junior, said “The SAT is only one small part of [a student’s] high school years, so colleges should pay attention to other things, as well.”

    A 2014 study conducted by William Hiss, Former Dean of Admissions for Bates College, compared the grades of students who submitted their SAT and ACT scores, as well as their high school graduation rates. The study concluded that the difference in college performance between the two groups was insignificant:there was only a 0.6 percent difference in graduation rates of students who submitted their test scores and those who did not.

    In addition, a study done by Steve Seyerson and his team at the University of Washington revealed that test-optional schools provide students from underprivileged areas an opportunity that they would not otherwise be presented. “Our study clearly supports the notion that if an institution wants to do a better job serving traditionally undeserved populations, test-optional [policies] can provide a very useful tool,” Seyerson said.

    Moreover, College Board and ACT tests are expensive. Students pay not only for the test itself, but also for study materials and tutoring. Students from low socioeconomic areas may not have the resources to experience the benefits of taking practice tests and retaking the tests.

    Albeit the many obvious advantages of test-optional schools, many people are still not certain about this increasingly popular approach to the college application process.

    Sanya Nair, a sophomore, said, “What if certain students live in areas where there aren’t many opportunities to volunteer or do activities outside of school?” This issue is one that can easily be overlooked, as colleges pay attention to all extracurricular activities — from babysitting  to joining a robotics team. No matter the social class or economic status of the student, anyone can get involved in their community.

    Overall, there is a lot more to a well-rounded student than a mere test score. Test-optional schools increase diversity in colleges and provide opportunities to more students than ever before. These colleges are proving that a student is more than a test score.

IMAGE COURTESY: WWW.FLICKR.COM