The New Era of Standardized Testing

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities have revamped their standardized testing policies—most have gone “test-optional” (students may choose to submit scores alongside their application), and some have even gone completely “test-blind” (meaning the institution will not consider test scores as a factor in the admissions process). Top-ranked schools such as the Ivy League members, MIT, NYU, and many others have followed suit for at least the duration of the pandemic. As more controversy arises over whether or not standardized testing has outlived its usefulness in college admissions (or whether it was useful in the first place), many have called for the termination of its utilization completely in the application process. The University of California system has entirely scrapped its usage of the SAT and ACT, following a lawsuit filed by a coalition of predominantly minority group leaders and advocates of Compton County in Los Angeles. Although many have hailed the change as a more inclusive and equitable step to higher education, others have argued that the devaluation of standardized testing removes a measure to ensure fairness in the college admissions process.

Those in defense of standardized testing cite concerns over grade inflation, a problem that underlines education disparities between US high schools. At the core of grade inflation lies the “rigor gap,” or the difference in how academically challenging courses may be across different schools. For example, while students at one high school may not have to study as hard in their AP biology class, students at another high school may consider it one of their most challenging courses. Because academic rigor is dependent on a number of factors, such as the teaching staff, resources available, and workload, the “value” of a grade varies.

Thus, standardized testing provides a way to “level the playing field,” in a sense, for college admissions. The uniformity of tests such as the SAT or ACT provides a more “reliable” benchmark to account for the differences in school curriculums.

Yet complaints about accessibility to standardized testing are rampant. Although both exams are available to all students, each test administration costs money – and oftentimes, students are inclined to take the test more than once to improve their score. Those from low-income backgrounds who cannot afford to take the test as many times as their higher-income counterparts are at a deficit. Beyond the costs for taking the test itself come fees to prepare for the exam. Higher-income families are able to pay for specialized tutors and college coordinators who provide highly-focalized one-on-one counseling for the admissions process, while poorer families do not have the same kind of access to those resources.

In response to such criticisms, students in favor of the SAT/ACT argue that the advantage of providing an equal metric to use in evaluating students is necessary to maintain a fairer admissions process. Waivers are provided for students who cannot afford to take the test, and more and more resources such as Khan Academy and practice tests from the College Board are becoming available for free.

Here at Andrews University, while test scores are not required, ACT/SAT scholarships are available for those who decide to take the exam(s). Based on your score, you may be eligible from anywhere between $8,000 a year to a full-tuition scholarship. Although test scores are not considered as part of a student’s application, Andrews still honors the merit efforts of standardized testing.

Despite its pros and cons, one thing is for certain: standardized testing – or any other quantifiable measure of achievement or intelligence – is not the end-all-be-all of one’s existence, and the focus of education should always be on accessibility and quality. To challenge standardized testing entirely may eradicate a fair measure that aids in assessing student applications, but it may also open up opportunities to under-privileged communities and encourage a more diverse approach to applying to college in general.