The obscure truth behind the test-optional policy

DANIEL LEE NEWS EDITOR

In recent years, an increasing number of colleges have decided to implement a test-optional policy in their admission process considering the public concern on the fairness of standardized testing and the lasting circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this sudden change in admission policies in many top-tier schools in the nation, more and more students have decided to exclude their test-scores from their college applications: according to The Common App, only 43 percent of total applicants in 2021 submitted their test scores, compared to 77 percent in 2020. Likewise, many students, not only the ones who are particularly weak in standardized testing, left positive feedback on the change in admission policies against testing. Although standardized testing is often deemed inefficient in determining one’s likelihood of succeeding academics in college, there are also many other problems that are arising due to the new test-optional policy. Here are some reasons why the test-optional policy cannot benefit or guarantee fairness in every applicant in college admissions. One important fact students often forget to realize is that the word "test-optional" is not equal to "testblind.". Test-optional policies allow students to make their decision whether to submit their testing scores or not, while test-blind policy means that all students´ cannot submit their test-scores regardless of their willingness to do so. This notable difference in two policies often confuse students on how the test-optional policy could in fact negatively affect their chances of getting into colleges. For example, let's say that student A and student B have very similar GPAs, SAT scores, extracurriculars, and backgrounds. If both students apply to a test-optional school in the same year, with student A reporting their SAT score and student B not reporting their score, who do you think will get into the college with a limited pool of admitted students? While the actual decision may vary depending on who reviews their application and other factors, it is likely that the SAT score student A reported will be considered as a plus-factor for the student compared to student B who did not submit their score. Although the test-optional policies allow some applicants who have a particular reason to perform poorly on the standardized testing to be reviewed on the same starting line with other students, the policy itself does not give an unconditional advantage for students who do not have a specific reason as to exclude their test scores from their application. Another reason why test-scores are weighted less in college applications in recent years is the growing negative view on standardized testing in reflecting a students´ overall academic performance. Many believe that standardized tests do not correlate with IQ and other intellectual skills and therefore are irrelevant in determining how smart or qualified a student is to be admitted to a certain college. This miscor- relation is true and should be true because most colleges are not looking for students who are born with innately high brain activity or the ones who are statistically ¨smarter¨ than others. Although testing might not be the strongest suit for every student, it is the most definite and fair way of examining if the applicant is acquired with study skills and habits and their ability to prepare for the big exam that covers a vast amount of materials in English and math, which does relate to the student's likelihood of their academic success in college. Moreover, there could be students who do not put in the equal amount of effort and time in studying for these tests and could be reviewed on the same level of criteria as students under the same condition who actually studied for these exams. There are many colleges that prioritize students who are hard-working and are capable of preparing for college classes, whose grades are heavily determined by a couple lengthy tests. While it is true that it is inappropriate to conclude that a student is hard-working solely based on one´s test scores, it is the easiest way for colleges to get a general standard on the academic level of applicants they are looking for. Standardized test scores are far too blunt in fully representing a student's overall academic performance and they are not always promising in estimating one´s chances of getting into a particular college. The test-optional policy is in fact needed in our current college admission system as it allows students to focus more on other components of their application and provide more equal admission opportunities for students who are unable to take or retake the standardized tests. Despite these benefits, it is also necessary to consider the fact that the test-optional policy does not necessarily increase one's chances of getting into a college and that it could provide an unfair advantage for certain students who use it to cover-up their academic weaknesses.