Weighing Your Options with the SAT and ACT
On February 5, Dartmouth announced that it would no longer be test-optional, requiring applicants for the class of 2029 to submit scores. Less than three weeks later, Yale announced the same policy change. While some schools were already test-optional before the 2020 pandemic, it became prevalent as a result of it. The question now is whether Dartmouth and Yale are bellwethers for a shift back to requiring standardized test scores.
In this test-optional landscape, the standard advice has been that students should only submit scores if they match or exceed an applicant's academic record. On a recent visit to Northeastern, I heard Olivia Harris, Assistant Dean of Admissions, give the most cogent explanation of a test-optional policy. She stated that, as an institution, they are truly test-optional, with no preference given to those who choose to submit. Simply put, for them test scores are one piece of a pie, and if you choose not to submit, it simply gives more weight to the other pieces of the pie, such as: grades, activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. For schools that never went test-optional and those reverting back to requiring scores, this quantitative metric has been deemed an important component to establishing an applicant's potential for success and a required piece of the pie.
How Does This Impact Applicants?
As high school juniors and their parents contemplate their options, it is important to consider how well the student performs on standardized tests and if the schools being applied to are largely test-optional. If testing creates enormous stress and most of the schools of interest do not require scores, perhaps taking this off the table makes sense. However, if a student can put in the time to study and prepare for the test and perhaps meet their potential, then having the scores to submit would certainly be advantageous. Make sure to look at the range of scores a school is looking for as an indicator of whether or not to submit.
Before even considering whether to sit for the SAT or ACT, students must decide which test best suits them. The best way to determine this is to take a practice test for each. Some test prep companies offer free diagnostic exams that are administered in a real test setting and provide an analysis of each, with no obligation to sign up for tutoring. Understanding which test best matches a student’s content knowledge and reasoning skills, along with time management skills, will help guide the test taker to the best option. Whether or not the student decides to pay for test prep, practicing whichever test you choose is the key to success.
For more information on navigating standardized testing or any questions related to the college application process, please contact me at writeaheadcollege@gmail.com or through my website: https://writeaheadcollege.com/contact.
