Multiple Ivy League universities are moving back to requiring standardized test scores for future admission cycles, including Yale, Dartmouth and Brown University for next year’s applicants. The universities have cited standardized tests’ ability to predict performance in college as the main reason behind the move, which is what the tests are designed to measure.
Standardized tests are designed to measure aptitude for college, so why not use them as a part of college admissions? No, seriously, why not? Many critics of test-required admissions are principally concerned that requiring test scores puts low-income students at a disadvantage in college admissions, arguing that college admissions are fairer across economic classes without the usage of standardized test scores. However, this view fails to consider the fact that students from lower income families are also at a disadvantage at nearly every other point in college admissions—extracurricular activities are less available, college essays are less reviewed, AP class selection is generally more limited—the list goes on and on.
When making the decision to move back to test-required admission, Yale found that the increased focus on other aspects of low income students’ applications other than standardized tests frequently worked to the disadvantage of students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Instead of balancing out college admissions across economic classes, the move to test-optional made it far easier for upper class students to get into colleges that they probably should not have gotten into. Having money makes it far easier for these students in every single category of college admissions when compared to middle and lower class students—more extracurricular activities are available, college essays can be written by experts, they have more access to AP courses, etc. It is also worth noting that they also have access to better forms of test preparation for standardized tests when compared to other classes. However, test scores are the hardest part of the application process to buy. For one, they are very difficult to fake altogether, as evidenced by the plethora of cheating fiascos that occurred before the move to test-optional admissions, and, second, test scores can be compared within socioeconomic classes and backgrounds, which works to counteract both the upper class’ unfair advantage in test preparation and the lower class’ disadvantage.
Overall, the move to test-required admissions should be far more widespread than it currently is, as test-optional admissions are having the opposite effect than intended: students from lower economic backgrounds are punished. In comparison, those from higher economic backgrounds are rewarded. To have the intended, fair effect, colleges must return to test-required admissions and continue to account for differences in economic class.
