Colleges should not bring back test-mandatory admissions for the same reasons they initially removed them: tests are inaccessible and expensive, and less indicative of academic performance than grades.
Mandatory testing policies cause unnecessary stress and extra work for students whose ab ilities can already be accurately determined by their grades and the difficulty of their course load. Students’ school grades are often proportional to their standardized test scores, making testing redundant and excessive. Course difficulty is indicated on transcripts, such as by Advanced Placement (AP), Honors or advanced distinctions, providing colleges with an accurate depiction of their academic abilities and willingness to take on challenges. Students can choose to take AP exams and other standardized tests if they wish to further display their abilities but should not be required to do so.
Furthermore, requiring standardized tests can exclude certain demographics from opportunities in higher education. Standardized testing fees can be expensive and put strain on lower-income families. To prevent excluding students from these backgrounds or putting them at a disadvantage, colleges should holistically assess applicants’ engagement and success in school. Deserving students should not be prevented from attending elite colleges because of their socioeconomic circumstances. Even with certain stipends and fee waivers, testing requirements can bar such students from applying or hinder their chances of acceptance. In addition, wealthier students have easier access to tutoring and preparatory courses and books, giving them an advantage on the tests and thus in admissions. If required, standardized testing will undoubtedly benefit more privileged students, as their access to test-prep resources will boost their performance.
Additionally, students who want to pursue degrees in diverse fields like the arts also should not be pressured by standardized testing requirements. Students who hope to pursue the arts or other careers, for which the material assessed in standardized tests is less relevant, should not be required to take such exams. If these students require further academic evaluation, they should be judged not by their standardized test scores but by their overall academic performance.
Requiring standardized testing scores may also cause certain colleges to overlook students’ extracurriculars and merit as well-rounded students. Students with lower scores are often dismissed by selective universities, regardless of their background or circumstances. Therefore, it is essential that standardized test scores are not overemphasized, as they would be if they became an admissions requirement.
In conclusion, colleges should not bring back test-mandatory admissions as they exclude underserved demographics financially and academically. The concepts in standardized tests are often covered in school, and many students are already proficient in the skills that they test. However, others who have not had access to such material through school due to external factors will score lower, regardless of whether their lack of knowledge was out of their control. Due to testing’s rigidity and inability to adapt to students’ intended career fields, it may not be productive for students who want to pursue degrees in areas not covered by the tests or where testing skills may not be particularly useful or necessary. Because of these factors, colleges and universities around the United States should maintain test-optional policies.
