Why it may still make sense to take the SAT
Excerpt from U.S. News and World Report. "Navigating Test-Optional Admissions Amid COVID-19" by Josh Moody, published on Dec 18, 2020
Admissions experts, testing organizations and even some skeptics agree – it still makes sense to take the ACT or SAT.
"When they can safely test, even in a test-optional world, it behooves the student to see where their test scores hit," says Ginger Fay, director of independent educational consultant engagement at Applerouth Tutoring Services in Atlanta.
If the outcome is positive, a student can move forward knowing that standardized testing can be a strong part of his or her profile, she says. If not, a student can try to retake the exam for a better score or omit the results on test-optional applications.
It may make sense to send scores to one college but not another, depending on how a prospective student stacks up to other applicants based on their results. Applicants can check college websites to see statistics, including test scores, of previously admitted classes.
Even as the test-optional movement surges, testing critics acknowledge that it may make sense for applicants to take the ACT and SAT. "They could opt out if they want. There are plenty of colleges now that are test-optional and you don't need to play the game," Schaeffer says.
But, he adds, that decision can become more complicated depending on how many schools a student applies to, given the likely variance in testing policies.
"The odds are that one of the schools on that list will probably still require a test."