Test Optional: How Optional is Test Optional?
I attended my association’s conference this past week (IECA) and wanted to share my notes on the test optional session that I felt some of you would find useful. See below.
– Bowdoin was 1st school to go test optional
– More than 950 colleges are test optional
– More students are taking both the SAT and ACT than ever and test prep companies are thriving
– 24 states and D.C. require that students take the test for assessment purposes
– “Test flexible” varies by school
– Scholarships may not be offered, additional material may be required, other test scores may be required (e.g., AP), may require to send when the student is not matriculated, interviews may be required
– Temple has a test Optional option: Do a timed online essay
– Some test optional colleges have exceptions where certain student have to submit tests: International students, home schooled, athletes (NCAA), specific majors
– Non-cognitive factors are considered
– Assumption for some schools is that your scores are low
– Being test optional doesn’t serve institutions well in the rankings
– US News – If less than 75% of a schools entering class submitted test scores US News discounts the ranking calculation, which will drop the college’s ranking
– Some misreported and conflicting information on Common Data Set
– Understand what the colleges process is
– Never submit test scores during the free option to submit during registering for SAT or ACT
– Student who submits a score vs. not may impact getting off of the waitlist
– Ask the college if they have data on % of students admitted who do not submit test scores
– Go to the colleges’ website for what is required
George Washington University Specifics
– Believe that qualified students were opting out due to test score fears
– Students excluded: Athletes, homeschooled, 7 year BA/MD applicants
– Essay topics changed to align with non-cognitive variables
– 27% increase in applications once implemented in 2016 season, 6% increase in year 2
– Higher than expected yield rate for test Optional students
– Reader is not able to see scores if accidentally or proactively sent
– Cannot retract applying test Optional if you then want to submit scores
– Applies for international students
– Test options, students are doing as well in college as those that submitted scores
– Increase In students who were multicultural, first generation
