Standardized testing is back. Well, to be more accurate, it never really went away. With testing sites unavailable throughout the country during 2020, the majority of colleges had no choice but to go test-optional. This year, it was more varied and played out differently amongst the colleges depending on a variety of factors.
Some colleges were already test-optional prior to the pandemic while others that responded by going test-optional in 2020 remained so as a permanent policy. And, just last month, the UC system announced a permanent test-free admissions policy moving forward. But for colleges without such clear guidelines, the last two years made the standardized testing part of the admissions process even less transparent and more confusing than it already is. The trends that have emerged over the last two years can be helpful in understanding the landscape as it relates to standardized testing in general, but not specifically as it relates to each individual college. Some colleges REALLY mean it when they say they are test-optional, others, not so much. And many, like the Cal State system, are still deciding if they may go back to requiring testing for the Fall 2023 application cycle.
Ask a test prep company or tutor what they recommend and you’ll get a variety of responses. And that’s a GOOD thing. Because when it comes to the admissions process, it is all about “context” as it relates to each individual student and the colleges they’re applying to.
Just like in life, there are many parts of the college admissions process we can’t control, but we CAN control how we approach it and respond to it. Here are a few suggestions on how to approach standardized testing so students have the most options available:
1. Start by taking a practice test of both the ACT and SAT. If you’re a junior, November-January is a great time to do that. You don’t need to study, the goal is to get an idea of the format of each and using that plus your score, you can decide which one to focus on.
2. Once you’ve decided, register and prepare for your first official test. You can use a test prep company or do on your own but definitely set up a consistent practice schedule and study for the test before you take your first official SAT or ACT.
3. Once you get your score(s) you can decide if you want to retake, based on the admissions profile of the college(s) you’re applying to. Set a target score goal based on the admission stats for the most competitive college you’re applying to.
Remember, for those students who are not great test takers and prefer not to take the SAT or ACT there are plenty of colleges that are test-optional or test-blind (test-free). It is much easier than it has been to build your list of colleges around those schools.