Understanding Test Optional and Test Blind Admissions (Part 2 of 2)

Insights provided by the Admissions Decisions team

Welcome back! In our last post, we discussed the basics of test optional and test blind admissions. Now, we will dive into how to navigate this uncertainty and how to use test optional status to your advantage.

Part 4: What does this uncertainty mean to you?

Previously, we mentioned the challenges associated with test optional college admissions. Namely, it is very difficult to actually separate applicants without the assistance of standardized tests. From the evidence we have seen, most admissions camps have fallen into one of two categories:

1. Students who do submit a standardized test score are helped against students who do not, so long as the standardized test score is competitive.

2. Students without standardized test scores must rely on the qualitative aspects of their application

Let’s start with the first category.

In our conversations and research, admissions officers are favoring a student who submits the test score over those who do not. This is pretty straight forward. If two applicants have similar GPA and extracurriculars, but one submits a good SAT score and the other submits nothing, the one with the SAT score will get a preferred view.

What that means for you is that your SAT score can serve as a tiebreaker in a test optional admissions environment. Note: that does not mean that not having an SAT will negatively directly impact your own admissions application. It means that in the event of a tie, those who have a strong SAT score will triumph over those who submit nothing.

Practically, our assumption would be that this is more applicable if you are in a highly selective applicant pool. In other words, a university accepting 40% of a pool is less likely to need to make as strong a distinction between students as a university with a 4% acceptance rate. Based upon the selectivity of the colleges you are likely applying to, govern yourself accordingly.

The secondary category gets more interesting. For those admissions officers that are truly “blind” to the lack of a standardized test score, there is a lot more weight given to the qualitative side of the application.

If you are unfamiliar with the application process, colleges ask applicants to include a lot of non-quantifiable documentation in their application. Most commonly, these are:

• Letters of Recommendations

• Lists of Extracurriculars

• Interviews

• Personal Statements

These are things that tend to be much more subjective in nature in an equal applicant playing field, but the application process isn’t always fair.

Let’s provide a scenario for illustrative purposes:

1. Student A applies with a 4.0, 1300 SAT, and has has a letter of recommendation from a US Senator

2. Student B applies with a 4.0, 1600 SAT, and has a letter of recommendation from a high school teacher

If you were to compare the two students on the numerical basis, Student B is clearly a stronger applicant due to the SAT score. You wouldn’t even get to the letter of recommendation as a basis of decisioning.

But let’s assume this is a test optional environment and Student A does not submit his SAT scores. Now you have to evaluate them based off of a GPA and a letter of recommendation. At that point, a US Senator endorsement is a very strong statement. If you compare the two students without their SAT scores, the letters of recommendation puts one student clearly over another.

Obviously, not everyone will have a US Senator writing a letter of recommendation, but it highlights the importance of the other aspects of your application if standardized testing is not being included in your holistic profile. In highly competitive admissions where GPAs are separated by hundredths of a point, extracurriculars and qualitative aspects of the application will swing the admissions officer view on who is a strong applicant.

Conclusion

For the foreseeable future, the test optional world will continue to exist for a large number of colleges. For those curious on what to do, we would recommend:

• Continue to take the SAT/ACT

• Determine the competitive range for colleges and universities you will apply to

• Submit your SAT/ACT score if your scores are in/above the competitive

For test optional schools, the advantage is that if you take the SAT, you can choose to not submit the score if the score will hurt you. Effectively, there is no penalty in taking the exam.

The more competitive the school, the more seriously you need to take the SAT/ACT. It adds an additional dimension to your academic profile that cannot be easily replicated. Not taking it puts you at significant risks:

1. Colleges and universities can decide to go back to requiring standardized testing

2. Colleges can shift the testing the requirement for specific majors and programs

3. Scholarships still require SAT/ACT scores

4. The lack of scores can put you at a competitive disadvantage and make the non-GPA aspects of your application much more important

As with most things, it is generally better to have options than not. Remember, if a school decides to require SAT/ACT exams and you have not planned for it, you will be in a rush to not just take the exam, but potentially study and retake the exam if you are not happy with your initial score.

Hopefully this provides an overview and key considerations when applying to test optional school environments. This is a general guidance, and every applicant will have a different set of considerations.