Dartmouth College reinstated its standardized test requirements for applicants, joining the likes of M.I.T. and Georgetown University on Feb. 5.
According to a Feb. 5 article from The New York Times (NYT), Dartmouth made the decision after data showed them that removing the requirement disadvantaged lower-income students, who may have otherwise been admitted by submitting their scores.
Dartmouth also found that the SAT and ACT scores were a better predictor of how well students would fare at the school than their transcripts, recommendation letters or student essays.
I can understand why they would make this decision, given that it is backed up by in-house data that they have. The question of bringing back, or even having a standardized testing requirement in the first place for the application process, is certainly an interesting one.
Since 2017, New Hampshire schools have required the SAT to be taken by all 11th-grade students during a designated school day, according to the N.H. Department of Education. N.H. is not alone in this though, in fact, 23 states plus Washington, D.C., require either the SAT or ACT be taken by students.
I have never been all that great at standardized testing. I have never thought that it was a good metric or representation of someone’s knowledge on a subject. Projects, essays or alternative evaluations of learning have always been my preferred method of demonstrating knowledge.
Testing in classes is one thing though, but the SAT and ACT are another. At least with classes, you know what to expect more of the time than the SAT or ACT. Yes, there are practice tests you can take in preparation for them, and there are study guides available. But to juggle the stress of keeping up with current classes while needing to focus so much energy on preparing for the “big test,” is a big ask of high school juniors.
The SAT is broken down into two sections: math and reading/writing. I remember being extremely nervous to take the test. I have never been all that good at math, outside of practical applications, it was always hard to grasp fully for me. Reading and writing were always my strong subjects, but I did not hone them until right around the time I took the test.
Predictably, I scored poorly in the math section and did well in the reading/writing section. Unfortunately, the two did not balance each other out completely, causing me to get a lower overall score than I had wanted and anticipated. This was a point of shame for me.
When everyone got back their scores and freely shared them, I would either shy away from the conversation or lie. It is already hard enough for so many students who are or were like me, placing so much of their self-worth or intelligence into the numbers that comprise grades and test scores.
Everyone will have their areas of strengths and weaknesses when it comes to academics, that much is understandable. I worry that reinstating this test requirement for admissions may have unintended consequences. While the college argues that testing would only be a deciding factor for admissions in a positive way, I am not so sure of that.
There are already so many things to consider in college admissions. Someone’s family background and upbringing, socioeconomic status, recommendation letters, transcripts, club involvement, sports and more.
Generally, I feel the grading system in the U.S. is pretty outdated and reductive, but that is an opinion for another time. If I were an admissions counselor, I would take a lot of stake in trying to lift up students who may have struggled in high school at points, or come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In a post-affirmative action country, it is more important now than ever to give students a chance to better themselves in college. Recognizing the importance of student and community involvement in high school is something that should be more closely looked at. Learning how to lead or work with a team and dedicating one’s free time to something bigger than just classwork is a great sign that someone will do well in college.
One of my biggest regrets about high school is not getting involved. While the COVID-19 pandemic threw off my sophomore and junior years of high school, I still wish I had pursued something either before or after.
That being said, I am grateful that KSC is and has been test-optional for many years. I do not believe submitting my score would have impacted my admission, but I simply felt more comfortable that I was being considered for other aspects.
I never thought I would, or even wanted to, get into an Ivy League school like Dartmouth, but this decision will likely reverberate to other higher education institutions, which worries me.
The testing requirement may make sense for more prestigious schools but there’s no use to needlessly add a barrier for regular universities. By having the requirement, it shows that an institution is more concerned with reinforcing the idea that the U.S. and the education system is a pure meritocracy, and sidesteps those who bring different things to the table.
A student’s test score is probably the lowest-salience item to consider in admissions in my view, and most colleges would benefit from accounting for every other aspect of an application and omitting the score entirely.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
nhope@kscequinox.com
