What is test-optional trend doing to college admissions

Many colleges have adopted a new trend when it comes to the college admission process: going “test-optional”. This means universities and colleges are giving students the choice to submit or not to submit SAT or ACT test scores.

Ever since COVID-19 has created issues with opening services centers related to immigration, including testing centers, international students have been scrambling to complete the SAT or ACT test process necessary to join universities around the world. Also, there has been an issue with students from many regions for whom the testing process is time-consuming and expensive. The students who are from economically backward backgrounds face this problem very much.

Hence expecting those students to go through extensive SAT coaching and coming out with exceptional results is unrealistic. All these considerations have led to the “test-optional” trend among so many colleges. But this hardly means that they will quit taking the results of SAT and ACT tests into consideration. But they won’t be mandatory.

There’s a fact to be kept in mind that if a student can take an SAT or ACT test and bring good scores, it will enhance his/her chances and choices for college admissions. If educators and parents can ensure that students are able to do enough practice and review their performance effectively, it can do much on the capability part of students to attend the test. Test prep approaches like the deliberate practice method can help to enhance their skills along with freeing up unnecessary study time for the students. Such a method will consider a student’s strengths and weaknesses and chart a personalized training focusing on improving weak areas.

The type of study program aimed for will also determine what sources of learning for qualifying tests will help in enhancing knowledge and skills. E.g., learning software online if opting for STEM study programs.

Apart from boosting the confidence of students preparing for the admission process and tests, parents and trainers must help students to be sure of whether to take up a “test-optional” facility or not.

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