As much as we try, we are unable to run from the fact that standardized admissions testing is being reinstated at colleges. Although it is happening slowly, elite universities have already announced that they will be once again requiring test scores.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of colleges decided that they were going to be test-optional. This meant that students applying to universities didn’t have to worry about studying for the dreaded SAT or the ACT whilst attending school on Zoom.

When Sian Beilock took over as the president of Dartmouth, she decided to have a few members of the Dartmouth team look into the effects of the school not requiring testing. They found that ACT and SAT scores were better indicators of how a student would do at the school than high school grades, letters of recommendations, and supplemental essays that students are required to submit when applying to all colleges.

The Dartmouth team also found that by remaining test-optional, they were hurting the admission percentage of lower income students who believed that their test scores were too low to submit. As it turns out, test scores actually would have helped these lower income students be admitted to Dartmouth.

Dartmouth was the first Ivy League school to reinstate test scores for the class of 2025, current high school juniors. Brown and Harvard have also reinstated test scores for the class of 2025.

After four years of being test-optional, Yale also reinstated test scores for the class of 2025. However, they have taken a slightly different approach to this requirement. In addition to the traditional SAT and ACT tests, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests will also fill the testing requirement.

Previously, Georgetown and M.I.T reinstated test scores for the classes of 2022 and 2023, respectively.

So how does the Windward community feel about the return of standardized testing and the conclusions that Dartmouth reached?

Dani Benudiz (‘25) believed testing is not the best way to test the academic capabilities of students. She explains that there are many kids who are not good test takers, so these tests “are an unfair assessment of students’ intelligence.”

Benudiz said that other components of student’s applications, such as their essays, are better ways to assess students and their applications.

Testing is extremely difficult right now. Because scores weren’t required for so long, the curve is extremely skewed.
— Cece Terprening (’25)

In addition, many still argue that the ACT and SAT provide an unfair advantage to those of higher socioeconomic statuses.

As Ila Brooks (‘25) explained, “The whole test is based on how much money you have. If you can’t afford tutoring, it’s really hard to get a good score.”

While some argue that everyone technically has access to online tutoring resources, as Benudiz said, “not everyone has the technology to learn that way in the first place. It’s not fair for them to have such a disadvantage.”

Bella VanderKloot (‘25) believed that the reinstatement of testing for the class of 2025 was extremely unfair as many schools decided on this reinstatement less than a year before these students will need to apply to college.

“I was going to be test-optional,” VanderKloot said, “but now I need to take the SAT over the summer. I don’t think it’s fair as my firm plans for the rest of this school year and the summer had to be changed to accommodate me studying for this test.”

As Cece Terprening (‘25) said, “Testing is extremely difficult right now. Because scores weren’t required for so long, the curve is extremely skewed.”

The SAT and ACT are curved, but because students only submit their scores when they have essentially perfect scores, the standard for testing is extremely high. Students need a 35 or 36 on the ACT and a 1550 or above on the SAT to have a good chance at being accepted to Ivy League schools.

While this standard for scores will lower over the next few years as schools continue to reinstate testing, for the class of 2025, very high scores will be needed for elite universities. This adds even more pressure to the already notoriously hard tests.

On the other hand, Van Lindelof (‘25) felt that all schools, especially elite universities, should start requiring test scores again. He said that with schools that are test-optional, it is sometimes difficult to understand what someone needs to do to “account for the lack of testing.”

“If everyone has to take the same type of test,” he said, “we can know how likely we are to get into the schools we are interested in.”

Lindelof also believes that over the years, resources to study for the ACT and SAT have become a lot more accessible to students of all socioeconomic classes. He shares that “most of the programs I use to study are free, online tools.”

While some may see the shift away from being test-optional as extremely negative, there are upsides to schools requiring test scores. For example, test scores can help provide a balance for the perception of grade inflation, which many believe is widespread, and showcase students’ knowledge on the testing topics. Furthermore, the majority of schools are still test-optional, so if students choose to never take the SAT or ACT, there are still plenty of amazing colleges for them to choose from.