Behind the Scenes At a Test-Optional University
(Editor’s note: This week I’m happy to have Terry Cowdrey, Dean of Admission at St. Lawrence University, post her examination of her institution’s decision to make standardized tests optional.)
At St. Lawrence University, we have used a test-optional admissions process for four years. When students return to campus in the fall, all of them will have had the choice of whether or not to have SAT or ACT test scores considered in the application process. Why did we make the decision and what have we learned? In thinking back, it seems strange that the tests were ever a requirement.
Why did we consider going test-optional?
At the time, the test was changing and surrounded by controversy—we would have been irresponsible to not evaluate how useful a tool it was in making good admissions decisions. We already used a holistic review process, and test scores rarely figured prominently in admission decisions so why were we still asking for them? It seemed inconsistent to tell students that scores were not very important in the process but then still have them as a required part of the application.
How did we make the decision?
We needed to test whether the scores were an important predictor of grades students earned at St. Lawrence. We studied test scores, high school grade point averages, and other data points to evaluate how predictive SAT and ACT scores were. The results were clear: the test scores had some predictive value, but it was far outstripped by the predictive value of the high school GPA. We believe one of the reasons for this result is that, in the classroom at St. Lawrence, students are not “tested” in ways that mimic the SAT and ACT. Multiple-choice exams are rare, students almost always write multiple drafts of essays and papers, and they are tested on—and writing about—subjects in which they have specific interest. (The SAT or ACT may be more predictive at colleges that use multiple-choice exams.)
How did our admissions process change?
We altered our review of high school transcripts to give us a clear understanding of the number and rigor of the courses taken in the core academic subject year by year. We pay close attention to the trend of the grades earned from ninth grade through the middle of the senior year. We read letters of recommendation from teachers with greater scrutiny. All of this is done regardless of whether a student has chosen to submit test scores.
For us, test scores have become like interviews—students have the choice of whether or not to submit their scores just as they have the choice of whether or not to have a personal interview. If the score report or interview report are included in the application folder, we know the student wants us to consider that information as part of our holistic review.
What have we learned?
Students choose not to submit scores for a number of reasons. Some know their scores are below the profile of students we admitted in recent years. Others have scores well within the St. Lawrence profile but not as high as they think they should be given how well she or he has done in high school. Some students choose not to submit scores because they are philosophically opposed to standardized test scores—and to being judged based on the results of their work on a couple of Saturday mornings. (It is interesting how many valedictorians choose not to submit scores!)
We also learned that SAT and ACT scores are particularly poor predictors of academic performance at St. Lawrence for students who have attended rigorous high schools or prep schools. Those students come to St. Lawrence with experience writing multiple drafts of long papers of the sort we require. They are used to the expectations of lively class discussion and have experience with active learning in lab and studio classes.
Reflections
In the winter of 2004, our staff had an extended debate about one of our candidates. The young man in question ranked first in his class of more than 150 students at a school from which we had not seen applications in the past. He had strong letters of recommendation and was very involved in extracurricular activities, and we were certain he would add much to our campus. The issue? His SAT (verbal and math) score, 770, fell well below the middle 50% score profile (1060-1250) for the previous year’s entering class.
It was hard to reconcile such a low score with such strong high school performance. We talked at length about the pros and cons of offering him admission, wondering if his low test scores really meant that he would struggle to meet the demands of our classes. In the end, we admitted him with some trepidation. Four years later he graduated from St. Lawrence with a GPA above 3.0 in a double major, having completed independent research and having been a valuable and visible contributor to campus life.
What a loss it would have been for us if we had let his SAT score prevent our community from benefiting from his presence on our campus! Now, with a test-optional admissions process, we worry far less about excluding a student based on SAT or ACT test scores, even when the student has lower scores and still chooses to submit them. Our admissions process allows us—in fact, it requires us—to look beyond the quick signal we may get when we see test scores—low or high.
Terry Cowdrey is the vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid at St. Lawrence University. Her career in college admissions spans three decades and includes experience at Vanderbilt University, the University of New Hampshire, and Wesleyan University.
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