SAT - Why All the Controversy? Part 2
Author: Arlene Vinion Dubiel
Last week, we talked about the SAT and how the test itself may not be biased against minorities, but some of the factors surrounding the test, including access and funding for test preparation, can make it biased. In this blog, we will discuss why some colleges have chosen to adopt “test optional” or “test blind” policies, look at other uses of the SAT, and note how the SAT and other large standardized tests will persist in education.
Why adopt a “test blind” policy?
There are two main terms used by colleges in regards to the use of standardized tests for admissions: “test blind” and “test optional.” The “test optional” is easy to explain. It simply means that students are not required to submit test scores when they apply to that college. If the test scores are present, the college will consider them as part of the application. If scores are not present, it does not count against your application. “Test blind” means that the college will not consider test scores - even if they are included as part of an application.
Many colleges have started to adopt “test blind” policies on a permanent basis. My own institution, Northern Illinois University, will use a test-blind policy starting fall 2021. As a state-funded institution, they are giving guaranteed general admission to any student with a cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above. GPA will also be the primary determinant for whether a student receives merit scholarships or is admitted into the honors program. The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged other colleges to adopt a “test optional” policy, at least temporarily. Harvard, Notre Dame, and Stanford are among these, citing lack of testing opportunities as a reason for the new policy and leave open the possibility of using test scores for college admissions in the future.
What do colleges use instead of test scores? Answer: high school GPA. A study published earlier this year in Educational Researcher found that there is a “strong and consistent” relationship between high school GPA and college graduation. This relationship is regardless of the college that students attended. However, scores on the ACT, another popular standardized test for college admission, was only weakly correlated with college graduation, and seemed dependent upon the school. This study emphasizes the importance of high school GPA as a strong predictor of college success. Indeed, the SAT Validity Primer demonstrates this same correlation - that high school GPA is a strong predictor of success in college. The difference is the claim that SAT scores have an added predictive effect on measures of college success.
What are the arguments against using high school GPA? There are claims that some schools or districts could inflate grades. Indeed, some schools weigh honors or Advanced Placement (AP) courses more than general classes, resulting in high school GPAs of well over the traditional 4.0. However, these claims are circumstantial and lack evidence, so these arguments are pure speculation and not worth considering until we have data.
Follow the money
We have the official reasons for why colleges might not use test scores for admissions: high school GPA is a good enough measure, claim of bias in test scores - particularly for low income students, and current lack of testing opportunities. But why go to “test blind” rather than “test optional?”
No one likes standardized tests (unless you love assessment and big data like me). You will be hard-pressed to find students who enjoy spending a full Saturday morning sitting in a stuffy room pouring over a scantron sheet. Include the fact that test takers are required to pay for this torture and you can see the call, on an individual scale, to get rid of them.
For good or bad, colleges and college admissions often operate like a business. The customers are the students. If a college adopts a ‘test blind’ policy, then students may look upon that favorably and apply. With an average application fee of $44, there is more money for the college to use. With a larger application pool, there could be a lower percentage of students being admitted, making the college appear to be more selective. There is some evidence to this with colleges that adopted “test optional” policies years ago.
“Standardized tests will persist in education regardless of whether colleges use the scores for college admission.”
Standardized tests will persist in education regardless of whether colleges use the scores for college admissions. The tests are expensive to create, administer, and analyze on a large scale. There is a treasure trove of data from a wide variety of student populations across the entire country that can be analyzed and used to draw broad conclusions. We don’t want to completely throw them out. Plus, these tests can be used for purposes other than college admissions.
The SAT for federal accountability
The SAT Validity Primer indicates that test scores can predict success in college - it is a predictor of college readiness. The “Every Student Succeeds Act” signed into law by President Obama in December of 2015, has a focus on college and career readiness. To receive federal funds, states are required to submit accountability data to demonstrate that students in the state are achieving education standards. Most states are using standardized tests as part of their accountability data and several are using ACT or SAT as these tests.
In the state of Illinois, all 11th grade students are required to take the SAT. To prepare, all 9th and 10th grade students likewise need to take PSAT tests. This data is used by the state as part of their federal accountability plans as the tests are aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards. While students’ scores are not automatically reported to colleges, the scores can be placed on high school transcripts, if requested. It is possible to see how schools and districts perform on the SAT through the Illinois Report Card system.
So while some colleges may not be using test scores, these scores do have their uses for K-12 schools. Because of that, the SAT and other standardized tests will not go away because they do have their uses.
As for me, I have a love/hate relationship with standardized tests like the SAT. On the love side, the SAT is a well-designed test with clear data outputs. It has been shown to be valid for the purpose of college success. It is also a good way to compare student populations with one another across the United States. On the hate side, these tests are a one-time snapshot and, as such, may not be an accurate measure for individual student achievement. But when used in conjunction with other data, like GPA, test scores can be an additional data point indicating student achievement and aptitude. So, the use of these tests for accountability with equal access for all, can help to ensure that all students, from Chicago to Mississippi to Maine to California, are receiving quality education.
A repeat from last week: educate yourself about standardized tests. They will persist in education and do have their uses, particularly for analyzing large scale trends in education.
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