Discussion about the effect of the University of California and California State University systems’ decision to go test-blind in the fall of 2021 has been on the rise.
According to Fair Test, there are currently 1,937 test-optional universities and 85 test-blind ones across the U.S. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, nearly 35% of U.S. universities out of a total of 5,916 universities in 2021 do not require students to submit any standardized test scores, such as the SAT and ACT.
“I feel like it’s a good and bad thing,” FHS senior Jewel Sutter said. “It’s a good thing because it’s one less thing to worry about. But then, it’s also like, if no one takes the test, how are you going to know that someone took harder classes? The Physics Honors class here is not the same thing as Physics Honors at Homestead.”
Sutter said that submitting test scores can be beneficial to some students in that it sets them apart from other students who would be otherwise indistinguishable. Students that have similar course rigor, but come from different schools where the course difficulty varies, may be able to use standardized testing as an opportunity to differentiate themselves. Despite this, the switch some colleges are making is not all that influential.
“It’s either yes, we need the test, or no, we don’t,” Sutter said. “Yes, the impact is most of us still have to take the test.”
Sutter brings up the point that most high school students planning to apply to college still need to take standardized tests since not all colleges follow a test-blind or test-optional policy. An example of this is FHS senior Mia Corfmat, who said that she took the still took SAT because many out-of-state and international universities still require standardized test scores, and she never knows where she might want to apply. FHS junior Anoma Sulibhavi also said that SAT scores are still heavily weighted at some colleges, and therefore, the switch to test-blind or test-optional does not excuse students from taking standardized tests.
“While it may present challenges, because it means more students apply, it also means more eligible students are applying,” FHS Guidance Counselor Vanessa Goulart said.
Colleges not requiring submission of test scores results in more students applying, which inevitably creates more competition, Goulart said. conversely, she said that students who previously would not have applied because of their inability to pay for standardized tests, have the ability to and are much more compelled to apply to more prestigious colleges.
Goulart also said that students with busy schedules, such as athletes, can benefit from this choice, as well as students who are not good test-takers but perform well in other aspects of academia.
As for the overall impact of this decision, Goulart explains that she believes it is positive.
“You had very traditional students applying and then you had non-traditional students who could not apply or did not apply and now, it brings both of them at the same level,” Goulart said. “So, really, it’s an equity practice that I think should be looked at in a good way.
