Senior shares admission testing challenges

I set an alarm for 6:30 a.m., sharpened my pencils, and mentally rehearsed trig identities and semicolon rules. Even though the test was only 16 hours away, I thought it would not hurt to check the ACT website one last time.

Canceled.

Like everyone else, my summer plans went out the window around mid-March. With no standardized tests available over break, I would need to take the SAT or ACT during the busiest time of my year. However, after three canceled tests, I began to wonder if I would get to take them at all.

The College Board tweeted that SATs continue to face last-minute cancelations.

We expect some test centers may decide to close ahead of the December SAT, even on test day. Keep an eye on the Test Center Closings page. https://t.co/TfdBXzuG8b pic.twitter.com/47xHUWuEtl

— The SAT Program (@OfficialSAT) December 2, 2020

Around the same time standardized tests started to get canceled, colleges took a new look at their admissions requirements. Almost every four-year university, 1,600 in fact, is now test-optional or even test-blind.

With so many schools dropping testing requirements, why do students bother taking the SAT or ACT? For some, they just want a return on their investment, like a student I met who studied four hours a week for three years to take the SAT, spending over $3,000 on prep classes. Another reason is that scholarship money is still available to those who perform well at tests.

My reason was simple: I needed to take the test. On the top of my college list is the Air Force Academy, which as of September, still required test scores. After the Sept. 12 test was canceled across California, I faced a difficult decision.

On one hand, I earned a decent ACT score after sophomore year. I could have submitted that, and hope that whoever grades the application realizes it reflects my 10th grade performance.

On other hand, I could double-down on standardized testing, and book a test for a location that was guaranteed to stay open. I chose Las Vegas.

The irony that my first trip to Las Vegas was to take a test did not escape me. I thought I must be crazy for driving six hours to sit in a classroom, but about half of the other students I talked to were also from California.

Throughout the process, I could not help but feel like standardized tests are tools to scam high schoolers. A study book from the Princeton Review sums up my experience with the SAT and ACT. Despite the statistics touted by ACT and the College Board, it is hard to see how a four-hour test measures scholastic ability.

“In our opinion, a standardized test is just a measure of how well you take that test.” — The Princeton Review

In light of this, colleges are increasingly placing less weight on a single number from a single test. More and more college rely on a “holistic” admissions approach. UC Berkeley‘s Associate Director of Admission Robert Penman says that standardized tests were not critical even before the coronavirus. 

“Berkeley is well equipped to adjust to a test free environment because the SAT and ACT were never big parts of our review process to begin with,” Penman said. “We look for students who have a sense of academic intrigue, who are curious, who are resilient and resourceful, who face challenges head on and care about their communities, and demonstrate a wide range of talent, skill and perspective.”

UCLA tweeted about their test-blind policy.

UCLA will be test-blind for Fall 2021 admission. We will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding Regents and Chancellor’s scholarship. Read more about this update here ? https://t.co/jSt1uZDNZT pic.twitter.com/9QQ066bHpq

— UCLA Admission (@UCLAAdmission) November 6, 2020

To me, the holistic approach makes much more sense than relying on how well a student can fill in bubbles. While testing certainly has a place in college admissions, it should never have been elevated to the end-all be-all that many students view it as.

My advice to students preparing to navigate the college process is to take the SAT or ACT, but try not to stress over it. Colleges are not necessarily looking for the best students, they are looking for the best students for them. Even once COVID is over, the writing is on the wall that test scores will take a backseat to academic performance, extracurricular, and even the day-to-day struggles high schoolers learn to overcome.

For more articles, read World War II veteran, Norris Jernigan, relives historic event and Despite controversy, TikTok remains popular with youth.

Bryce Foshee can be reached via Twitter and via email.