An illustration of Co-Editor-in-Chief Owen Donnelly holds two bags of trash representing the U.S. college readiness tests. Donnelly believes that college readiness standardized tests are unsuitable to include in the college admissions process. Illustration by Lillian Sams
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges are going test-optional for the 2021 graduating class, meaning that students do not have to submit SAT or ACT scores to these schools. This initiative is long overdue and should be replicated by colleges and universities across the U.S. due to flaws in the testing system.
Schools like the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and a plethora of others have decided to waive the requirement for submitting standardized test scores such as the ACT or SAT, and instead are relying on other information about student success such as GPA and extracurricular activities to determine a student’s admissions status.
The most significant reason for omitting the requirement of standardized testing is that it’s not the most effective way to forecast student success in college. A 2020 study by the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research found that high school GPA is five times stronger at predicting college graduation than standardized tests, which can have little to no correlation with success in college.
Intelligence can be measured in different ways, things like creativity, memory, logical reasoning, leadership and social-emotional intelligence can all impact one’s “intelligence”. Standardized tests evaluate memory and speed. Success in college depends on a variety of factors beyond these skills. Mental health, work ethic and social skills all can have significant impacts on postsecondary success.
The SAT and ACT testing systems also present socioeconomic disparities. Proponents of these tests praise the SAT and ACT for their apparent inclusivity, arguing that they reduce bias because of their disconnected nature, but that’s far from the truth.
The tests may reduce bias by hiding a test taker’s identity, but are undeniably partial to students that can afford test tutoring services, which can cost troves of money. Five Points Prep in Athens costs upwards of $40 an hour.
Furthermore, these tests, which are supposed to measure college readiness, are only offered in English. This means that a non-native English speaking student that is exceptional at math and science would be severely hindered in those sections, solely for not speaking fluent English, a notoriously difficult language to learn.
This is disadvantageous for the universities themselves. There are students that would be happy, productive members of their campuses that are being excluded only for not fluently speaking English due to these standardized tests. The U.S. could benefit from their diverse perspectives and the subsequently increased competition that a larger student body brings.
These tests are unfair and ineffective. Students are more than a number, and performance on an exam should not determine one’s place of schooling. More schools should follow suit
of institutions like the University of Chicago, George Washington University and Agnes Scott college and eliminate the required submission of standardized test scores for good.
