YES, the SAT and ACT are still vitally important

For generations, the SAT and the ACT have played an outsized role in college admissions, but their long-standing primacy in the selection process has been upended significantly by the pandemic. This year, more than two-thirds of schools in the US have moved to “Test Optional” policies that give the student a choice in whether they want to submit their results or not.

But this does not mean that the days of preparing for standardized tests are over.  Far from it.

“Test Optional” policies do not mean the SAT or ACT results are unimportant to admissions offices. Yes, due to philosophical concerns over inequity and the overall predictive value of these results, some colleges moved to “Test Optional” policies before the pandemic began. But the “Test Optional” rationale for most selective schools has been purely pragmatic: the huge disruptions caused by the pandemic made it impossible for many students to take these exams last year, so admissions offices were forced to reconsider their requirements. It is safe to say that most colleges that have gone this route have done so reluctantly. Yes, some may learn to prefer this new approach. And they certainly will admit terrific students who do not submit test scores. But in keeping the door open for a student to submit results, the reality is that great scores will make decision-making easier for admissions officers at “Test Optional” schools. And an applicant’s job, of course, is to make an admissions committee’s job easier!

“Test Optional” policies, however, are quite different from “Test Blind” policies.  

“Test Blind” policies are a sign that an admissions office is truly putting their “money where their mouth is” when they say that they no longer see the value of a standardized test score in their selection process.  With “Test Blind,” the school will not even consider your test score even if you want to submit it.  The University of California system has gone this route, as have other private institutions, including three of the seven undergraduate college admissions offices at Cornell University in the Ivy League. Notably, the four remaining colleges at Cornell are “Test Optional,” as is the rest of the Ivy League, and the vast majority of highly selective colleges have not yet taken the leap to “Test Blind” practices.

In this new environment, ALL applicants will face greater scrutiny than ever on their essays and overall application. The absence of a strong test score at a “Test Optional” school means everything else on the application needs to stand out in a truly exceptional way. 

For students applying to selective schools in the near future, therefore, a strong test score WILL continue to move the needle. 

Over time, it won’t be surprising if more colleges and universities move to a “Test Blind” policy – there are, in fact, genuine concerns over the predictive value of the SAT and ACT and the more schools that find they can admit and yield terrific students without those scores means that other institutions will follow.  

But until that happens, it is important to view standardized tests as an opportunity to enhance your application. In the world of selective admissions, it is essential to make a maximum effort in all areas; thus, not even trying to get good test results will leave you a step behind. At Arthur Smith Advising, we worked with students last year who gained admission to Ivy and other highly selective schools without test scores. But even with that in mind, our method is to encourage students to pursue testing as an avenue that can help their application, along with producing a great transcript, developing an interesting resume, and writing compelling essays.