Trends of Test-Optional Applications in Post-Affirmative Action Era

In the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions, the phrase "test-optional" has emerged as an agent of change and transformation. As the United States navigates the post-affirmative action era, colleges and universities are fervently redefining their approaches to admissions. This shift towards test-optional policies has opened a new and exciting chapter in the pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusivity within higher education. The traditional emphasis on standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, is giving way to a broader perspective that considers a student's holistic merits, extracurricular activities, and personal essays. These dynamic trends in college applications not only challenge the status quo but also reflect the ongoing quest for a more equitable and accessible educational landscape for all aspiring students.
 
The Rise of Test-Optional Policies:
 
In the realm of college admissions, the term "test-optional" has been gaining significant traction, potentially staying mainstream perpetually. As the U.S. navigates the post-affirmative action landscape, colleges and universities are adopting a range of strategies to create more inclusive and equitable admission processes. This shift towards test-optional policies has opened up a new chapter in the pursuit of diversity, sparking discussions and revealing intriguing trends in college applications.
 
The adoption of test-optional policies by colleges and universities across the United States has been a remarkable development since 2018 when University of Chicago, a notoriously academic heavyweight, first adopted the policy. Meeting the global pandemic, this shift has been largely driven by a desire to promote fairness and access in higher education. These policies acknowledge that standardized tests like the SAT and ACT can perpetuate socio-economic and racial disparities in admissions. As colleges strive to create a level playing field for all applicants, test-optional policies are a major step in the right direction. In 2023-24 application cycle, 1900 US colleges and universities deploy the measure, more than tripling the count in the beginning of 2020-21 cycle.
 
A Broader Definition of Merit:
 
Test-optional policies reflect a broader and more nuanced understanding of what constitutes merit in the college admissions process. Institutions are increasingly looking beyond test scores, recognizing the importance of assessing applicants holistically. This means that extracurricular activities, personal essays, and recommendation letters play a more significant role in evaluating a student's potential.
 
The shift towards a more holistic evaluation of applicants represents a fundamental change in how colleges perceive merit. It's not just about test scores anymore; it's about the overall qualities and experiences that a student brings to the table. This shift emphasizes the importance of a well-rounded education and personal development, rather than just a focus on one’s grades, scores, and awards. Colleges of Brown and Tufts alike are accepting application videos from their students, while a growing number of others partner with third parties including Kira Talent and InitialView. BigFuture, the college guide portal at the duopoly of the standardized test, College Board, is too rumored to launch its own college video recording platform. In addition, personal essays and recommendation letters are also refilling the evaluation spaces giving up by scores and grades.
 
The Impact on Underrepresented Communities:
 
Test-optional policies have the potential to level the playing field for underrepresented minority groups. Students who may not have access to expensive test preparation resources or who have been historically disadvantaged by standardized tests now have a more equitable opportunity to be admitted based on their merits, rather than their test scores.
 
This shift is particularly significant in addressing disparities in higher education. Historically, underrepresented communities have faced barriers in accessing and succeeding in college. Test-optional policies are a crucial step in breaking down these barriers and providing equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their background. Since the mid-year Supreme Court’s ruling on SFFA vs Harvard and SFFA vs UNC, affirmative action admission is considered to have retired from the front desks of the elite colleges. In their immediate reaction to the ruling, colleges updated and required a supplemental essay prompt on diversity, equality and inclusion topics, despite that the Common Application prompts has already included such a topic in the seven prompts. Harvard, for instance, has implemented a new required diversity prompt for 2023-24 cycle. In addition to QuestBridge that attracts nearly 20,000 application from underrepresented students, Common App through its newly launched Direct Admission program to offer admissions to 200,000 underrepresented students by 70 American colleges.
 
The Role of Socio-Economic Background:
 
While the move to test-optional policies is a step towards inclusivity, the socio-economic background of applicants still plays a significant role. Some students can afford test preparation courses and hire private admissions consultants, giving them an advantage. This highlights the need for ongoing efforts to address economic disparities in education.
 
The socio-economic background of applicants remains a complex issue to address. While test-optional policies help reduce one dimension of inequality, the broader issues related to economic disparities in education persist. Colleges and policymakers need to work collaboratively to provide financial aid, resources, and support systems that ensure all students have a fair shot at higher education. Along this growing trend, dozens of colleges have joint Stanford, Princeton, and other endowment-rich elite institutions to instituting their own no-loan policies, largely limited to domestic candidates though. Currently. all but one top-20 universities required no debt to enroll. The average of financial aid for Yalies and Brownies who benefit from it amounts $58,244 and 47,590, respectively.
 
The Challenge of Assessing Potential:
 
One emerging trend is the challenge of assessing a student's potential without the anchor of standardized test scores. Admissions officers are tasked with a more subjective evaluation process, which can be both rewarding and daunting. This shift underscores the importance of investing in professional development for admissions teams and utilizing data analytics to predict student success accurately.
 
The shift towards holistic assessment is not without its challenges. Admissions officers now have the responsibility of evaluating applicants in a more nuanced and subjective manner. This requires a greater understanding of the factors that contribute to student success and the development of tools and strategies to ensure accurate assessments. Colleges are investing in training and data analytics to support these efforts and make the transition as smooth as possible. Enrollment Management, an industry that have provided student search databases since 1980s, has been innovating itself and become dozens of providers in lieu of Royall, Encoura, and Turnitin that not only providing but also analyzing student databases composed of stats, essays, and activities among social networks.
 
Ongoing Debates over Legacy Admissions:
 
The SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action has also exacerbated debates about legacy admissions. Some critics argue that colleges should move beyond legacy admissions to create a more level playing field for all applicants. The spotlight on legacy admissions aligns with the broader discussions about fairness and equity in college admissions.
 
The debate over legacy admissions has gained momentum in the context of post-affirmative action and post-pandemic admissions. Critics argue that legacy admissions perpetuate privilege and create an uneven playing field for other applicants. This discussion serves as a reminder that addressing inequality in college admissions is a multi-faceted challenge that requires reevaluating long-standing practices. Adding to a 2021 Stanford study unearthed the admission disparity among student application essays due to household income, a 2023 Harvard-Brown research covering 33 top private and public universities and 5 million students in 2010-2015 application cycles further exposed the privilege of legacy students, dubbing legacy factor as a college qualifier of its own. It is not to understate that parents legacy has started entering its way out of the admission domain.
 
A Focus on Inclusive Practices:
 
Many colleges are actively implementing practices that encourage diversity and inclusion. These include targeted outreach to underrepresented communities, expanding financial aid offerings, and providing support systems to ensure the success of students from diverse backgrounds.
 
Colleges are not stopping at test-optional policies; they are actively pursuing inclusive practices to create a diverse and welcoming campus environment. Initiatives like outreach programs, increased financial aid, and support systems are essential components of these efforts. These institutions are making a conscious commitment to creating an environment where students from all backgrounds can thrive. Since 2020, institutions including University of California have been either opening dedicated positions on diversity admissions or hiring additional admission staff of certain underrepresented demographics. MIT, one that has least concerned the typical inequality measures like SAT and ACT scores, is now employing apparently 40% counselors and directors inside its undergraduate admission office. University of Pennsylvania uses its alumni networks in outreaching students of ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+.
 
A Global Perspective:
 
Test-optional policies have led to a more inclusive environment for international students. Colleges are increasingly looking beyond standardized testing, recognizing the value of diverse international perspectives in the student body.
 
The impact of test-optional policies extends beyond domestic students. International students have also benefited from this shift, as colleges are now placing greater emphasis on a diverse and global student body. By moving away from an exclusive focus on standardized testing, colleges are inviting students from all over the world to contribute their unique perspectives to the academic community. China, where study abroad students were interrupted the most due to its pandemic travel limitations, has recovered to its pre-pandemic levels of common applications and is expected to rise further in 2023-24 cycle. India, one of countries leading the tolls on covid-19, has surpassed China and led the growths among all countries that are sending international students to the US.
 
The Future of Standardized Testing:
 
As colleges continue to embrace test-optional policies, questions arise about the future of standardized testing. Some institutions are considering alternatives, such as evaluating non-cognitive skills, to ensure a more comprehensive assessment of applicants.
 
The future of standardized testing is uncertain as colleges increasingly move away from it. Some institutions are exploring alternative methods for evaluating applicants, such as assessing non-cognitive skills like resilience, adaptability, and creativity. These changes reflect a broader shift towards a more comprehensive approach to evaluating an applicant's potential. In March 2023, College Board introduced its increasingly controversial college entry exam in a new digital format stressing the user experiences of the test. Even though the average SAT scores has dropped by almost 100 points, this update of user interface is generally welcomed by the students and educators who traditionally criticized the test on testing equality. Despite fact that academic rigorous colleges such as MIT and Georgia Tech has reinstituted their test requirements, test optional policy is and will be the mainstream among US colleges beyond the years.
 
Rising Trend of Chat-GPT in Essays
 
Powered by the hype around the launch of Chat-GPT, there has been a rising trend in the world of college applications is the increasing use of AI-powered chatbots like Chat-GPT and Grammarly to assist applicants in drafting their application essays. News sources report that 1 out of 10 college applicants are using Chat-GPT in writing their essays. The penetration of Grammarly in application essays are estimated at 30+%. The technologies have strengths, they also come with significant drawbacks.
 
On the positive side, AIs can provide instant assistance to applicants, particularly those who may struggle with writing or articulating their thoughts. These AI tools offer suggestions, corrections, and even compositions, helping applicants present themselves in their essays. They can help in brainstorming ideas, improving grammar and structure, and ensuring that essays meet the necessary word limits. This can be especially helpful for students who may not have access to personal writing coaches or expensive essay editing services, democratizing the application process to some extent.
 
However, the drawbacks of using AIs for application essays cannot be ignored. One of the most significant concerns is the loss of authenticity. College application essays are an opportunity for students to showcase their unique voices, experiences, and perspectives. Relying too heavily on AI assistance can lead to essays that sound overly polished and lack the personal touch that admissions officers look for. Moreover, the overuse of AIs can undermine the originality and creativity of applicants, making it difficult for admissions committees to distinguish one applicant from another. This can result in a homogenization of application essays, where many applicants sound the same, diminishing the value of individual stories and experiences.
 
Conclusion: Ensuring Equity in the Post-Affirmative Action Era
 
In the post-affirmative action era, the adoption of test-optional policies represents a positive step towards equity and fairness in college admissions. However, it also highlights the complex interplay between socio-economic background, diversity, and higher education opportunities. Ensuring that these trends translate into real progress requires ongoing commitment, not only from institutions but from policymakers and society at large.
 
The new trends in test-optional college applications in the post-affirmative action era mark a significant shift in the pursuit of fairness, diversity, and inclusivity in higher education. While new policies and measures offer a promising path forward, they also underscore the ongoing challenges in creating an equitable admissions process for all students. As colleges and universities continue to refine their approaches, the evolving landscape of college admissions promises a more equitable and inclusive future for aspiring students. These changes call for a collaborative effort between educational institutions, policymakers, and society as a whole to ensure that the benefits of these trends are fully realized.