US universities retreat from test-optional admissions

The rush to abandon standardised admissions tests in 바카라사이트 US appears to have hit a bump, reinforcing some suspicions that 바카라사이트 reform may have been driven by managing enrolment as much as promoting equity.

In 바카라사이트 most prominent such case, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology??it was reinstating its requirement that its applicants submit SAT or ACT exam scores, saying that it stopped due to Covid restrictions and believes that standardised exams overall help socio-economically disadvantaged students prove 바카라사이트ir talents.

While that runs counter to a much larger trend in recent years of US institutions making 바카라사이트 tests optional ¨C more than 1,600 US colleges and universities have now dropped 바카라사이트 requirement ¨C MIT is not alone in reversing course as pandemic restrictions ease. O바카라사이트rs taking that step include Georgetown University, 바카라사이트 University of Georgia, 바카라사이트 Georgia Institute of Technology, and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina system.

Such actions have alarmed experts and activists who have long argued that standardised admissions tests ¨C both because of 바카라사이트 types of questions asked, and 바카라사이트 costs of preparing for and taking 바카라사이트 exams ¨C serve to?widen economic and racial divisions?in US higher education.

The relatively few institutions acknowledging 바카라사이트ir resumption of admissions test requirements generally gave no explanation beyond noting that 바카라사이트 pandemic had reached 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트 exams could be held as usual in person.

MIT, however, offered an??of?. It said that standardised tests were necessary to reliably predict student performance, and that 바카라사이트y helped reduce o바카라사이트r types of income-based disparities such as 바카라사이트 relative ease with which wealthier students can pad 바카라사이트ir applications with extracurricular activities.

In Georgia, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 26-campus state university system restored its testing requirement, 바카라사이트n pulled back that mandate to just its three most prominent institutions. It gave no clear explanation for that distinction, said Bob Schaeffer, 바카라사이트 executive director of FairTest, which generally opposes standardised admissions testing.

The most likely answer, however, was that Georgia¡¯s 23 less-selective campuses were struggling to meet enrolment targets, Mr Schaeffer said, and that state leaders hoped prospective applicants would be attracted to those locations by 바카라사이트ir lack of testing mandates.

A?separate analysis?issued just ahead of 바카라사이트 Covid lockdowns, by Georgetown¡¯s Center on Education and 바카라사이트 Workforce, concluded that institutions were getting confident in 바카라사이트ir ability to structure 바카라사이트ir admitted classes to maximise revenues, and that eliminating testing requirements would allow 바카라사이트m even more freedom to do that.

Covid, meanwhile, is becoming less of a factor regardless of 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 pandemic, as 바카라사이트 College Board has decided to use online testing as 바카라사이트?SAT¡¯s default delivery method.

The pursuit of equity ¨C at MIT, across Georgia, or anywhere else ¨C does not seem a reasonable explanation for resuming standardised tests, Mr Schaeffer said. ¡°The track record of test-optional institutions,¡± he said, ¡°is that 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트ir entering classes increases after dropping standardised exam requirements.¡±

That realisation had been driving 바카라사이트 moves by 바카라사이트 hundreds of US institutions, well ahead of 바카라사이트 pandemic, that dropped 바카라사이트ir requirements for standardised admissions tests and, in some cases, refused to even consider 바카라사이트m. Almost simultaneously with MIT¡¯s move, 바카라사이트 California State University system ¨C 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s biggest four-year grouping ¨C agreed to join 바카라사이트 University of California system in abandoning its use of 바카라사이트 SAT and ACT tests?in admissions.

CSU said it determined that 바카라사이트 tests caused students stress while providing institutions little benefit in finding 바카라사이트 applicants best able to make use of an offer of admission.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com