On the one hand, you should not stress too much about your scores. They are only one element of the entire application, and other elements are generally more important. Based on the most recent annual survey by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), only 5% of colleges and universities view scores on the standardized tests to be of “considerable importance”. Bear in mind, more colleges and universities cite grades in college prep courses (77%). And the strength of the high school curriculum (63.8%) as “considerably important.”  For more detail, please visit our post on why grades and rigor matter the most in college admissions.

Do my ACT or SAT scores matter? Less than you think, but more than you’d like.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the vast majority of colleges and universities have gone completely test optional. Originally, colleges made this change for very practical reasons:  many students simply were unable to take the tests at the time.

However, for many schools, the decision to go test optional was also a strategic one:  it made it easier for students to apply with lower test scores. The result was that more and more students applied to all sorts of universities–especially the ones at the top of the US News rankings. The effect for colleges was two-fold.  First, they did receive more applications from a wider range of students who might not have ever applied. Students with top grades and tons of human potential from low-performing high schools applied to the Ivy League and other top schools, and these schools were finally able to select from an expanded pool.  And the Ivies (and others) did choose kids from this pool, catapulting kids into the upper echelons of American society overnight.

Test Optional Increases Colleges Reported Test Score Range

Second, test optional policies also allowed schools to manipulate their rankings a bit. Only kids with tippy top scores submitted them, while others with average or below average scores did not. Colleges then reported the average test scores of applicants and matriculants to the ranking agencies–and these averages magically went up!  With the lower scores no longer submitted, some schools made multiple point gains in their average test scores during the pandemic.  Effectively, the policy led to cherry-picking through the willful participation of students.

Nevertheless, test “optional” does not mean the same as “test blind”. The University of California does not consider scores at all. These schools are completely test “blind:”  no one submits them ever.  But admissions offices with “test optional” policies are delighted when you send them high test scores, and most schools will consider you seriously if you have SAT or ACT scores above the median of their reported test range.

Good ACT or SAT scores will help if your GPA is below average

This is especially true if your grades are less than stellar. If you have poor grades, a high score can give an admissions officer some evidence that you are capable of doing college level work, especially at the more selective schools. You clearly have a better chance of admission with a set of high test scores–especially if you come from an expensive private or boarding school, or if you attend outstanding suburban high schools noted for their educational quality and the range of academic opportunities afforded their students.

Thus, if you have opportunity, prepare for and take the SAT or ACT tests.

Do my test scores matter if I want to apply to the Ivy League?

In a word, yes.

And for the proof that test scores still matter, one has only to look at the Common Data Set of some of the most selective universities. Both Brown and Dartmouth listed test scores as “very important” factors in admission.  Even Harvard, which says that ALL factors are “considered” in admission (neither important nor unimportant, but simply “considered”) ,includes test scores as one of the many factors that are part of their admissions process. The reality is that at the most competitive colleges and universities (with some exceptions, like the U of California system) still want you to have high test scores if you can present them on the application.

If you want to look at a full list of schools that are currently “test optional” or “test blind,” head on over to Fair Test, a non-profit organization that promotes the elimination of the standardized tests in the admissions process.

Do my ACT or SAT scores matter if I need financial aid?

Definitely.

Let’s start from this premise:  colleges and universities are businesses.  In order to operate, they need money.  Thus customers who can pay the full price of admission are highly desired in the admissions process.  And while it is true that many of the wealthiest universities in the country (e.g., the Ivy League) are generous with the students for whom they provide financial aid, the fact is that the majority of students in the Ivy League pay full price.

So when it comes to giving out financial aid, colleges tend to be more picky about whom they give that money to. Therefore, the more evidence an applicant provides that they are worthy of that money, the more likely that applicant is to receive it.

And a test score is evidence.  Very solid evidence. 

Good ACT and SAT scores increase your odds of receiving merit aid

These scores matter even more when it comes to the awarding of financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Nearly all universities will give preferential treatment (read: more money) to those students who have both good grades and high test scores. Many colleges and universities key their merit-based scholarships directly to test scores. The higher the score, the more scholarships you may receive.

So from a dollars and cents perspective, spending a bit of money to raise your SAT or ACT score a few points higher may mean thousands more dollars in scholarships from certain universities. In some cases, even a single point on your ACT composite score can mean the difference between a scholarship of $5000 per year and $10,000 per year. If you do the math, this means that you could get $20,000 more free money for higher education just by studying a bit harder for the tests. Investments in test prep can repay themselves handsomely, depending on which colleges or universities you may be targeting.

Oh, and this is in addition to getting in:  if you want the money, you have to get in first. And a high test score–as explained–can help you do just that.

Bottom line: Your ACT or SAT scores matter

While standardized tests are not the only factor in college admissions, they do matter a lot. The more selective the university, the more they matter.

And if you’re looking for financial aid or merit-based scholarships, your scores on these tests may make the difference between affordable and unaffordable.
So don’t neglect to prepare. A better score means more and better options for you as you continue to navigate the entire college selection and admissions process.

How do I know whether my test scores matter for me?

While it’s great to read general principles here, you may still be wondering whether your tests scores really matter in your case.

• How do your test scores compare to other factors?
• Will a particular score help you or hurt you when applying to a specific college?  
• How do you know whether to submit those scores or not?  
• Should you take the test again?  

The expert college admissions counselors at Great College Advice can help you navigate the uncertain waters of the entire college preparation, selection, and application process.  We can help you place your own test scores in the proper perspective and help you develop a strategy for admissions to the schools on your list.  

If you need help interpreting your scores, finding a great test prep tutor, or developing a strategy of which test you should take in order to be competitive for your preferred colleges and universities, give us a call or contact us.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

The post Do ACT or SAT Scores Matter? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

What is Test Optional? What is Test Blind?

Test optional

This is the middle ground: students may choose to send scores if they have them. The vast majority of schools have this testing policy in place. And this is where things get very sticky. So, should a student submit or not? Every year in their Common Data Set, colleges and universities report the 25th to 75th percentile of SAT and ACT scores as well as the % of incoming students that reported test scores. The general rule of thumb, that we tend to agree with, is that if you student is above the 50th percentile of the range then they should submit their score to that school.

And how, exactly, will a student with scores be compared to a student without them?  Unlike the “test blind” policy in which scores will not be considered for any applicant, the playing field under the “test optional” policy is unclear at best and completely uneven at worst. On our College Admissions Experts Facebook Group of over 100,000 members, parents are continually asking whether their student should submit scores to College X and, if they don’t submit, will it hurt their chances of being admitted?

Test blind

The University of California System is an example of schools that will not even look at test scores even if they are submitted. A test blind school will look at all applications without any reference to scores whatsoever. The admissions office won’t even see SAT or ACT scores. Thus all students are immediately put on an even (scoreless) playing field—or so it seems (more on that in a minute).

How many times should I take the SAT? How many times should I take the ACT?

Like mentioned earlier, the vast majority of schools are test optional. However, reporting a SAT or ACT score that is above average for a college will increase your odds of being accepted.

So, how many times should you take the SAT or ACT? As many times as necessary until you feel that you are not making any material improvement. If you score a 1400 on your SAT but your goal is the Ivy League universities then you will likely need to take it again as almost all of the Ivies require test scores. The average SAT score at the Ivies is the mid-1500s so, unless you have a hook, take the SAT again. As you can ‘superscore’ your SAT and ACT results’ for almost every college, these schools will have no idea how many times you took the exam.

However, if you are aiming for less selective colleges, a 1400 is a fantastic SAT score to report. Don’t waste your valuable time taking the SAT again unless you could be eligible for merit aid with a higher SAT score. If you are applying to liberal arts colleges that are truly test optional, then don’t take the SAT again unless you are convinced you can materially increase your score. Your time is best spent elsewhere on sharpening other aspects of your application like GPA and activities.

Holistic Review vs. Clear Standards

College and universities, both private and public, emphasize (even before the pandemic) that they perform a “holistic review” of students for admission. Supposedly, no one criterion is is make or break for a student. The admissions officers look at everything before rendering their decision. These factors include both objective and subjective indicators. But the only objective ones are test scores, AP scores, class rank, and level of awards earned from international down to local.

Moreover, in poring over the many messages on other professional information exchanges, it becomes apparent that some schools will still see scores even if the student elects on the application to go test optional. This is because the colleges control what they download from the Common App. If the student enters the scores into the application, then an admissions officer at a test optional school may still be able to see those scores.

Even if the student has asked that the scores NOT be considered, the reader of the application cannot really “unsee” the scores.

While I’d like to believe that an admissions officer will duly take the student’s wishes into account, if the score is on the application I am still going to assume that the admissions officer will somehow, someway take these scores into account in the “holistic” review—even if they promise not to. If it’s on the application, it will be taken into account—even informally or subliminally. You can’t unsee a score that is staring at you on the page.

Are colleges really test optional?

When the process is so subjective and the process so opaque, whom can you trust to give a kid a fair shake? Can we really trust the people in an admissions office to make the best choices?

Now let me just say that I think that the vast majority of college admissions officers are honorable people. They believe in their mission to open up higher education to a wide variety of young people. The believe that universities are engines of social mobility, and they may believe (against the evidence) that the holistic process of admissions is as fair and transparent as possible. They try hard to balance the needs of the institution they serve while offering opportunity for deserving young people.

And yet, given the extraordinarily subjective nature of this process how can we really trust that the application my son or daughter submits to a particular college will get a fair shake? Since the process is emphatically not transparent, and since the judgments being rendered seem—from the outside—completely random, why would I believe the calming rhetoric coming from admissions offices?

For many, college admissions is a very high stakes game. If the success or failure of my daughter’s application turns on the subjective judgment of a couple of anonymous people in the admission office and not on any objective indicators like test scores—how can I be confident that the process works?

A great number of families do not trust that the process works. So, they hire independent college consultants to help them navigate the mysterious world of college admission. These families understand the inherently subjective nature of the process and engage specialists to help give their kids an edge.

What Private College Counselors Tell Clients About Standardized Tests

Quite simple: take the tests.

“Test optional” means take the tests. And get a high score.

If you want to go to an elite college, and you have the opportunity (or can create the opportunity—even by driving across three states to an open testing site). You will have a better chance with a score than without.

At Great College Advice, we are telling our clients that it is beneficial to put together a standardized testing plan. In an admissions process with very, very few objective data points, the possession of a positive, very useful data point (your SAT and/or ACT score) can make the difference between acceptance and rejection.

Furthermore, private college counselors—and others who work with high-achieving, hard-driving students—know that colleges can pledge an oath not to judge an application negatively if it arrives on their desks without test scores. But these pledges are impossible to verify. And they are pretty empty, given the institutional incentives to bring in students with high scores if they have them.

Every college wants to see high SAT/ACT scores

Even colleges with “test optional” admissions policies have incentives to collect test scores that are at the upper ends of their ranges. They want the high scores, but don’t want the low ones. Colleges that have been test optional for decades, including Bates and Bowdoin, still report “average” test scores of incoming students to the ratings agencies and to the US government and in their Common Data Set. But these averages are skewed, because only students with high scores will “opt” to include them on their application.

Test optional colleges won’t say it out loud, but they really prefer that students with high test scores submit them. And those with lower test scores “opt” not to send them. This way, the average submitted test scores remain high and this is the number that the test optional college reports on.

The process of deciding whom to admit and whom to reject is secretive, opaque, and “holistic”—which means it is entirely subjective. The only way to convince me that test scores won’t be considered in any way in the admissions process is for the school to either implement an entirely test-blind policy and suppress the scores from even reaching the admissions office.

Need help with the college admissions process?

The expert admissions counselors at Great College Advice can not only assist with developing a standardized test plan but also help with high school course selection, extracurricular activities, researching colleges and overseeing the college application process.

Contact us today for your complimentary consultation.

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1. Different schools grade differently.  An A in the wealthy part of town is not the same as an A in a poorer school.  This should not be, but it is.
2. Standardized tests are a way to compare students across schools, across districts, and across states.  They are an imperfect measure of aptitude or intelligence.  But they are useful in comparing apples to apples.
3. Students with lower scores, many of whom are black, brown, and red, are attend college at much lower rates than their whiter counterparts.  Yet most colleges, especially private, selective ones, truly want to recruit and retain more students of color.  Thus if they stick to test scores as a key to admission, they will effectively block admission to large numbers of minorities.
4. In order to improve minority recruiting, then, some colleges choose to make the tests optional in hopes of attracting more minority applicants.

My view is that SAT scores are a useful way to compare apples to apples.  But the problem is our national education system is anything but standardized, and while “separate but equal” is no longer allowed on racial grounds, we certainly have, de facto, a segregated education system in which the poor and the rich do not enjoy the same educational opportunities.
Therefore I like the idea of “test optional” schools.  As it turns out, most of the selective colleges that are test optional (like Bowdoin) receive scores from about 80% of their applicants.  So the tests aren’t going away.  But if being a test-optional college gives more talented minority kids more hope that their application will be given a fair shake, then I think Wake Forest and the rest are making a good decision.
The SAT and ACT are not in any danger of going away, however.  The NCAA will still use the scores as a requirement for athletic eligibility. A recent story on ESPN explains that scores are important, but grades are probably more important.
If you’re looking for a defense of the proper use of standardized tests in college admission, you might want to take a look at an article by Steve Farmer at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.  He recently wrote a piece that rightly pointed out that there is still a lot we don’t know about how to predict success in college.  Grade point averages (GPAs) are only slightly better predictors of success than the standardized tests. But neither is really all that great.
So, my advice?
Take the SAT and / or the ACT.   Plan on reporting your scores to the college of your choice.  However, if you really bomb the test, you can (and should!) consider a test-optional school.
Mark Montgomery
College Counselor

The post The SAT, ACT, and “Test Optional” Admissions first appeared on College Admission Counseling.