As many high school upperclassmen begin the search for colleges, one of the biggest things a student will look at is whether or not they are up to par with the admissions requirements. Many factors play into these requirements such as grade point average (GPA), extracurricular activities, community involvement, maybe even an essay, however, the most daunting requirements for these students is the section that reads “Test Scores.” Standardized test scores are used to weed out applicants and scare off potential applicants whose scores are not up to par with the university standards. However, schools all around the country are beginning to drop the use of test scores in their admissions process.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, …show more content…
As Russell Gough states in his article, "College Entrance Requirements for Athletes Are Unfair,” “Four years of hard work and verifiable accomplishment in high school are negated by a 3.5 hour multiple choice test” (Gough, 66). Schools rely on these test scores to determine whether or not a student is college ready. However, in studies that have been conducted by William Hiss, there is little correlation that suggests that the score a student receives on the test will predict their success in college. The Hiss study included thirty-three universities, public and private, and included data from 123,000 students. Hiss found that the difference in college grade point average among students who submitted their SAT versus the students who did not is five one-hundredths of a point (Jaschik). The Hiss study also found that there is only a six tenths of a point difference in graduation rates among the two groups of students (Jaschik). Many of the schools that have gone test-optional are looking to diversify their campuses and make the admissions process easier for a student who is a minority or comes from a low-income socioeconomic situation. The Hiss study found that among students who chose not to report their test score, the majority of them fall into the category that the institutions are trying to appeal to. The majority of students are the first to attend college from their family, minorities, or received a Pell Grant …show more content…
Schools should find other ways to use test scores during the admissions process. Test scores can be used for scholarship money and at Ivy League schools where the applicants do not show distinct differences that will help the school decide who is the best choice for their institution. However, many students are discouraged from applying to the school of their dreams just because their test score may be thirty to forty points lower than the admissions requirements. Many of these students are minorities or come from low-income households that cannot afford to test more than twice and cannot afford the classes to prepare for the test. Colleges and universities should take a different approach to the admissions process to level the playing field for the students who are not as fortunate as some of their
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, …show more content…
As Russell Gough states in his article, "College Entrance Requirements for Athletes Are Unfair,” “Four years of hard work and verifiable accomplishment in high school are negated by a 3.5 hour multiple choice test” (Gough, 66). Schools rely on these test scores to determine whether or not a student is college ready. However, in studies that have been conducted by William Hiss, there is little correlation that suggests that the score a student receives on the test will predict their success in college. The Hiss study included thirty-three universities, public and private, and included data from 123,000 students. Hiss found that the difference in college grade point average among students who submitted their SAT versus the students who did not is five one-hundredths of a point (Jaschik). The Hiss study also found that there is only a six tenths of a point difference in graduation rates among the two groups of students (Jaschik). Many of the schools that have gone test-optional are looking to diversify their campuses and make the admissions process easier for a student who is a minority or comes from a low-income socioeconomic situation. The Hiss study found that among students who chose not to report their test score, the majority of them fall into the category that the institutions are trying to appeal to. The majority of students are the first to attend college from their family, minorities, or received a Pell Grant …show more content…
Schools should find other ways to use test scores during the admissions process. Test scores can be used for scholarship money and at Ivy League schools where the applicants do not show distinct differences that will help the school decide who is the best choice for their institution. However, many students are discouraged from applying to the school of their dreams just because their test score may be thirty to forty points lower than the admissions requirements. Many of these students are minorities or come from low-income households that cannot afford to test more than twice and cannot afford the classes to prepare for the test. Colleges and universities should take a different approach to the admissions process to level the playing field for the students who are not as fortunate as some of their