Okay, so, are most colleges now going test-optional with admissions because of the pandemic or is this a more permanent thing? And how does going 'test-optional' affect the admission process?
The shift towards test-optional admissions began before the COVID-19 pandemic but certainly accelerated because of it. Many colleges initially went test-optional just for the 2020-2021 application cycle, but as the pandemic continued, many of them extended their test-optional policies to subsequent application cycles, and some even made the shift permanent or plan to review their policies in a few years. This includes various highly selective universities such as Columbia, Princeton, Stanford, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and the University of Chicago, which have all remain test-optional as of the 2024-2025 application cycle.
A key thing to note is that being "test-optional" means that the college will not require you to submit SAT or ACT scores, but they will still consider the scores if you choose to send them. Essentially, it provides more flexibility and gives applicants the opportunity to decide for themselves whether their test scores accurately reflect their academic potential.
The removal of the test requirement can change the emphasis in the admission process. In the absence of a test score, colleges may look more closely at other aspects of your application, such as your GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, leadership roles, essays, and letters of recommendation. Some students might benefit from this change, particularly those who excel in their high school coursework and have strong extracurricular activities, but may not test as well.
Remember, though, that this doesn't necessarily mean test scores have become irrelevant. Many students still choose to submit their scores, and these scores can still be a valuable piece of the application for students who do well on them. If you've taken an SAT or ACT and scored well, it can still be beneficial to submit that score, even to test-optional schools.
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