Masnad USA | Blog | THE CURRENT STATE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING AT U.S. COLLEGES

THE CURRENT STATE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING AT U.S. COLLEGES

Home
Blog
THE CURRENT STATE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING AT U.S. COLLEGES

The SAT and the ACT have long been staples of the college admissions process. The reasoning behind it is obvious: when admissions officers are faced with such a variety of applicants with such different metrics – some with a GPA measured on a 5.0 scale vs. 4.0 scale; some whose transcripts reflect many AP courses; others whose high schools offer no such courses – a single standardized test can be used to compare students across very different backgrounds. It had for a long time been considered a great equalizer.

However, in recent years, the SAT and ACT have been determined by researchers to merely reflect family wealth. Because the test (despite what the College Board, the organization that administers the SAT, arguses)can be gamed, meaning specific preparation can increase one’s score, those students whose parents can afford to pay for prep courses and/or tutors have a distinct advantage.

With public attention focused on racial and economic justice, the fairness of these standardized tests has been questioned as never before. And with the COVID pandemic forcing the closure of testing centers and hence cancellation of test dates, most U.S. colleges have either waived the SAT and ACT or else have become test-optional (meaning a student MAY take either or both tests and submit scores, but this is not required to be considered for admission). Moreover, according to these colleges, students who do NOT submit test scores will NOT be penalized in any way.

But how seriously should this claim be taken? Just because the stated position of a school may be that not submitting a test result will not count against you, not submitting a test score is never to your advantage – unless it is low, in which case DO NOT SUBMIT IT. But, assuming a good score, the safest route is to take the SAT or ACT – or even both – and SUBMIT YOUR BEST SCORE. And please keep in mind that you get to choose WHICH score you get to send.

It pays to take the test at least twice, with the second time most likely resulting in a higher score. If you keep working hard at your test prep, you can even sit for the test a third time and expect to improve. But three would be the maximum number of times you would want to take either test since research shows that there is little to no improvement beyond three tries. Just be sure to send your highest score, which means you should take these tests well in advance of the application deadline. We suggest taking your choice of test in the spring of your junior year of high school and then again on the August test date (SAT)/September text date (ACT) and perhaps the October test date (both SAT and ACT) also. (The December testing date of one’s senior year in high school is too late to receive your score and then decide to submit it by the application deadline set by elite colleges.)

For your information, 55% of students who retake the ACT improve their scores, 22% score the same, and 23% see their scores decrease. For the SAT, The College Board reports that 55% of high school juniors improved their scores when taking the test again as seniors. The average score improvement for all students retaking the SAT was 40 points. About 4% of retakes resulted in critical reading or mathematics score increases of 100 points or more. Score drops on subsequent test attempts occurred for 35% of students, while 10% experienced no change in their scores.

Many of the colleges and universities that have become test-optional will remain that way for the long term. But others, especially elite colleges with declining acceptance rates, are likely at some point to revert to reinstating the SAT or ACT as a requirement for applicants. The best way to be a competitive applicant is to prepare seriously for the test of your choice, do well on it, and submit your scores.

Below is the latest list of test-optional U.S. colleges. This list includes only colleges that have become test optional due to the COVID pandemic, not those that were already test-optional policy before the pandemic.

SCHOOL	LOCATION
Abilene Christian University	Abilene, TX
Adelphi College	Garden City, NY
Alabama A & M	Huntsville, AL
Alabama State University	Montgomery, AL
Albion College	Albion, MI
Alfred University	Alfred, NY
Alma College	Alma, MI
Amherst College	Amherst, MA
Anderson University	Anderson, IN
Arcadia University	Glenside, PA
Arizona State University	Tempe, AZ
Auburn University	Auburn, AL
Austin Peay State University	Clarksville, TN
Babson University	Wellesley, MA
Barnard College	New York, NY
Barry University	Miami, FL
Baylor University	Waco, TX
Beloit College	Beloit, WI
Berry College	Mount Berry, GA
Bethany College	Bethany, WV
Binghamton University	Binghamton, NY
Bismarck State College	Bismarck, ND
Bluefield State College	Bluefield, WV
Boston College	Chestnut Hill, MA
Boston University	Boston, MA
Brigham Young University	Provo, UT
Brown University	Providence, RI
Bucknell University	Lewisburg, PA
Butler University	Indianapolis, IN
Caldwell University	Caldwell, NJ
California Institute of Technology	Pasadena, CA
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)	San Luis Obispo, CA
Canisius College	Buffalo, NY
Carleton College	Carleton, MN
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, PA
Carroll University	Waukesha, WI
Case Western Reserve University	Cleveland, OH
Central College	Pella, IA
Central Michigan University	Mount Pleasant, MI
Centre College	Danville, KY
Chapman University	Orange, CA
Claremont McKenna College	Claremont, CA
Clemson University	Clemson, SC
Cleveland State College	Cleveland, TN
Colgate University	Hamilton, NY
College of William and Mary	Williamsburg, VA
Colorado School of Mines	Golden, CO
Colorado State University	Fort Collins, CO
Columbia University	New York, NY
Concordia University Texas	Austin, TX
Cooper Union	New York, NY
Cornell University	Ithaca, NY
Cottey College	Nevada, MO
Covenant College	Lookout Mountain, GA
Creighton University	Omaha, NE
Dartmouth College	Hanover, NH
Davidson College	Davidson, NC
Drexel University	Philadelphia, PA
Drury University	Springfield, MO
Duke University	Durham, NC
East Carolina University	Greenville, NC
Elizabethtown College	Elizabethtown, PA
Elon University	Elon, NC
Emory University	Atlanta, GA
Fairmont State University	Fairmont, WV
Fordham University	Bronx, NY
Franklin College	Franklin, IN
Georgetown University	Washington DC
Gonzaga University	Spokane, WA
Grand Valley State University	Allendale, MI
Grinnell College	Grinnell, IA
Hamilton College	Clinton, NY
Hardin-Simmons University	Abilene, TX
Harvard College	Cambridge, MA
Harvey Mudd College	Claremont, CA
Haverford College	Haverford, PA
Hawaii Pacific University	Kaneohe, HI
Holy Cross College	Notre Dame, IN
Husson University	Bangor, ME
Indiana University Bloomington	Bloomington, IN
Indiana University East	Richmond, IN
Indiana University Kokomo	Kokomo, IN
Indiana University Northwest	Gary, IN
Indiana University Southeast	New Albany, IN
Indiana Wesleyan University	Marion, IN
Iowa Wesleyan University	Mt. Pleasant, IA
Jackson State University	Jackson, MS
John Carroll University	University Heights, Ohio
Johns Hopkins University	Baltimore, MD
Kent State University	Kent, OH
Kenyon College	Gambier, OH
Kutztown University	Kutztown, PA
Lamar University	Beaumont, TX
Lehigh University	Bethlehem, PA
Limestone College	Gaffney, SC
Lincoln Memorial University	Harrogate, TN
List College—Jewish Theological Seminary	New York, NY
Lock Haven University	Lock Haven, PA
Longwood University	Farmville, VA
Loyola University New Orleans	New Orleans, LA
Lycoming College	Williamsport, PA
Macalester College	Saint Paul, MN
Maine Maritime Academy	Castine, ME
Malone University	Canton, OH
Mansfield University	Mansfield, PA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Cambridge, MA
Massachusetts Maritime Academy	Buzzards Bay, MA
Marymount Manhattan College	New York City, NY
Miami University (Ohio)	Miami, Ohio
Michigan State University	East Lansing, MI
Middlebury College	Middlebury, VT
Midway University	Midway, KY
Millersville University	Millersville, PA
Millikin University	Decatur, IL
Minnesota State University, Moorhead	Moorhead, MN
Mississippi College	Clinton, MS
Montana State University	Bozeman, MT
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Newark, NJ
New York Institute of Technology	Old Westbury, NY
New York University	New York, NY
Newberry College	Newberry, SC
North Carolina State University	Raleigh, NC
Northeastern University	Boston, MA
Northern Kentucky University	Highland Heights, KY
Northwestern University	Evanston, IL
Oberlin College	Oberlin, OH
Occidental College	Los Angeles, CA
Ohio State University	Columbus, OH
Ohio University	Athens, OH
Olin College of Engineering	Needham, MA
Oregon State University	Corvallis, OR
Penn State	University Park, PA
Plymouth State University	Plymouth, NH
Point Loma Nazarene University	San Diego, CA
Pomona College	Claremont, CA
Portland State University	Portland, OR
Princeton University	Princeton, NJ
Purdue University	West Lafayette, IN
Purdue University—Northwest	Hammond, IN
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Troy, NY
Rice University	Houston, TX
Rhodes College	Memphis, TN
Rutgers University—Camden	Camden, NJ
Rutgers—New Brunswick	Piscataway, NJ
Rutgers University—Newark	Newark, NJ
Saint Anselm College	Manchester, NH
Saint Louis University	St. Louis, MO
St. Mary's University	San Antonio, TX
St. Norbert College	De Pere, WI
St. Thomas Aquinas College	Sparkill, NY
St. Thomas University	Miami Gardens, FL
Saint Vincent College	Latrobe, PA
Savannah College of Arts and Design	Savannah, GA
Santa Clara University	Santa Clara, CA
Scripps College	Claremont, CA
Seattle University	Seattle, WA
Simmons University	Boston, MA
Soka University of America	Aliso Viejo, CA
Southern Methodist University	Dallas, TX
Southern Oregon University	Ashland, OR
Southwest Baptist University	Bolivar, MO
Stanford University	Stanford, CA
Stevens Institute of Technology	Hoboken, NJ
University at Buffalo (SUNY)	Buffalo, NY
Stony Brook University (SUNY)	Stony Brook, NY
Swarthmore College	Swarthmore, PA
Syracuse University	Syracuse, NY
Tarleton State University	Stephenville, TX
Texas A&M University	College Station, TX
Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi	Corpus Christi, TX
Texas Christian University	Fort Worth, TX
Texas State University	San Marcos, TX
Thiel College	Greenville, PA
Trinity University	San Antonio, TX
Tufts University	Medford, MA
Tulane University	New Orleans, LA
University of Akron	Akron, OH
University of Alaska Fairbanks	Fairbanks, AK
University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, CA
University of California, Davis	Davis, CA
University of California, Irvine	Irvine, CA
University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles, CA
University of California, Merced	Merced, CA
University of California, Riverside	Riverside, CA
University of California, San Diego	San Diego, CA
University of California, Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara, CA
University of California, Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz, CA
University of Colorado—Colorado Springs	Colorado Springs, CO
University of the Cumberlands	Williamsburg, KY
University of Dayton	Dayton, OH
University of Delaware	Newark, DE
University of Hawai'i—Manoa	Honolulu, HI
University of Houston—Main Campus	Houston, TX
University of Houston—Clear Lake	Houston, TX
University of Houston—Downtown	Houston, TX
University of Houston—Victoria	Victoria, TX
University of Illinois—Chicago	Chicago, IL
University of the Incarnate Word	San Antonio, TX
University of Indianapolis	Indianapolis, IN
University of Maine	Orono, ME
University of Massachusetts Amherst	Amherst, MA
University of Miami	Miami, FL
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities	Minneapolis, MN
University of Montana	Missoula, MT
University of Montana Western	Dillon, MT
University of Mount Union	Alliance, OH
University of Nevada–Las Vegas	Las Vegas, NV
University of Nevada–Reno	Reno, NV
University of New England	Biddeford, ME
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill	Chapel Hill, NC
University of North Dakota–Grand Forks	Grand Forks, ND
University of North Texas	Denton, TX
University of Notre Dame	Notre Dame, IN
University of Oregon	Eugene, OR
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford	Bradford, PA
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg	Greensburg, PA
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown	Johnstown, PA
University of Pittsburgh-Titusville	Titusville, PA
University of Richmond	Richmond, VA
University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA
University of Texas at Arlington	Arlington, TX
University of Texas at Austin	Austin, TX
University of Texas at Dallas	Dallas, TX
University of Texas at Permian Basin	Odessa, TX
University of Texas at San Antonio	San Antonio, TX
University of Texas at Tyler	Tyler, TX
University of Tulsa	Tulsa, OK
University of Virginia	Charlottesville, VA
University of Virginia–Wise	Wise, VA
University of Washington	Seattle, WA
University of Washington Bothell	Bothell, WA
Valparaiso University	Valparaiso, IN
Vanderbilt University	Nashville, TN
Vassar College	Poughkeepsie, NY
Villanova University	Villanova, PA
Virginia Tech University	Blacksburg, VA
Wabash College	Crawfordsville, IN
Washington and Lee University	Lexington, VA
Washington State University Vancouver	Vancouver, WA
Washington University in St. Louis	St. Louis, MO
Wayne State University	Detroit, MI
Webb Institute	Glen Cove, NY
Wellesley College	Wellesley, MA
Western Michigan University	Kalamazoo, MI
Westminster College	Salt Lake City, UT
West Virginia State University	Institute, WV
West Virginia University	Morgantown, WV
Williams College	Williamstown, MA
Winthrop University	Rock Hill, SC
Yale University	New Haven, CT
Yeshiva University	New York, NY
York College of Pennsylvania	York, PA

Questions about this post: Email robert@designsonlearning.com