THE DROP
So Long, Standardized Testing
Universities across the country decided to suspend ACT and SAT requirements at the beginning of the pandemic, but Ohio University’s test-optional pathway is here to stay. BY ABBY NEFF | ILLUSTRATIONS BY BROOKE GARRETT
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hen the coronavirus pandemic started, Ohio University took swift action to alter campus instruction. Students moved out of their dorms, campus buildings were shut down and classes were moved to virtual instruction. One of the most significant changes made by the administration was the elimination of the standardized test score requirement for freshman applying to OU. The initial announcement came in late June, when OU joined several universities in temporarily suspending the ACT and SAT test score requirement for freshman applying to their respective schools, including Harvard, Cornell and the University of Washington. Rob Callahan, the interim assistant vice president and director of undergraduate admissions at OU, says standardized test scores are less useful for predicting the success of prospective students. Rather, a student’s GPA and the rigor of the academic courses the individual took in high school are the two best indicators of
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backdrop | Spring 2021
an incoming freshman’s capabilities. “So, a student who has a strong GPA, let’s say a three-plus or above, who’s exhausted the most rigorous curriculum available to them in their high school - those are the students that we know overtime, historically, tend to perform well in college level courses,” Callahan says. “While the assessments — the SAT and ACT scores — have some reliability, they’re less useful for predictable purposes.” According to a study released in 2014 by the National Association for College Admission counseling, students who took advantage of the test-optional pathway at their respective institutions, identified as “non-submitters” by researchers, provided several benefits for the university overall, including an expansion of applicant pools, an increase in minority student enrollments and allowed for students with learning differences to succeed. “The conversation around access is really important for Ohio University,” Callahan says. “And the assessments do create a
barrier to the application process.” OU has experienced a steady decline in enrollment since the fall semester of 2014, according to data provided by the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. During the fall semester in 2019, there were 4,750 enrolled in the freshman cohort. In 2014, there were 5,374 students enrolled in that freshman class. Callahan says the reasons why OU didn’t eliminate the test score requirement sooner are nuanced and complicated. “Test scores impact selection processes for scholarships. They impact admission to more selective programs. They’re tied into national rankings. They’re tied into how we report to the state eligibility requirements and placement,” Callahan says. “So, there’s a lot of factors that are impacted.” Although financial aid offices can use standardized test scores to determine scholarship awards, a student will not be impacted if they decide not to submit. Valerie Miller, the director of the office
