Applerouth’s Picks: 5 Trends from an Unpredictable Year in Standardized Testing

The 2020-2021 school year was unlike any other in so many ways… students learning remotely, then in masks… teachers finding creative ways to engage classes across a screen while families found creative ways to celebrate their students’ milestones… There was little in the world of education that wasn’t upended last year and that was true even for something like standardized testing that might once have been thought of as inevitable and unchanging.  In the last admissions cycle, colleges and universities had to learn how to recruit students who couldn’t visit their campuses, and to review applications without some of the previously required metrics. 

Our partners at Applerouth watched all of these changes carefully through the eyes of the thousands of students they tutored, prepped, and coached over the last year, and they learned a few things that will be helpful for the high school Class of 2023 as they prepare to embark on the journey to higher education.  Here are our top picks:


#1: TESTING HAS PICKED BACK UP


After a year of last-minute disruptions and cancellations, standardized testing has largely returned to a state of normalcy. Students are sitting a bit further apart, wearing masks, and being offered hand sanitizer constantly, but testing otherwise looks much like it did before the pandemic. The number of students taking the tests has also returned to pre-pandemic levels: 2.3 million students took the ACT between June 2020 and June 2021 and 2.2 million students from the Class of 2020 took the SAT. 


#2:  STUDENTS STARTED TO PICK AND CHOOSE


Before the pandemic, students typically submitted scores to all the colleges on their list or they applied to colleges that did not require scores.  According to data from the Common App, only 4% of students in the Class of 2020 approached score submission strategically, submitting scores to some colleges and withholding scores from others.  For the Class of 2021, 24% of students were strategic in their decision to submit or withhold testing.  Given the wider availability of testing options and the popularity of test-optional admissions, we anticipate that more students will approach score submission in a strategic manner going forward.


#3: MOST COLLEGES ARE PICKING TEST-OPTIONAL


While many colleges announced a test optional policy out of necessity in 2020, in 2021, most colleges (over 1700) are choosing to remain test optional for at least the time being. Although only a small number have already announced permanent changes, it is expected that two-thirds of selective colleges will remain test-optional for the foreseeable future.  Most colleges are waiting to see what the data reveals - and that will mean waiting for a final decision until after the first class admitted under a new test-optional policy prepares to graduate from college in 2025. 


#4: STUDENTS CAN TAKE THEIR PICK


Testing plans have become much simpler since the beginning of the pandemic.  SAT Subject Tests have been eliminated along with the Essay on the SAT.  Rather than worrying about fitting in SAT Subjects or preparing for the essay, students can narrow their attention to the simple question of whether to focus on the SAT or the ACT.  While colleges have no preference between the SAT and ACT, students often do.  For example, some students prefer the more generous time per question on the SAT, while others prefer the lighter reading level of the ACT.  But you won’t know which test you prefer (and perhaps even naturally score higher on) if you don’t give them a try.  Applerouth invites CollegeMatch clients to take a free online practice SAT and ACT to get a sense of the differences between the tests and how well either suits your natural preferences and abilities. 


#5: STUDENTS CAN CHERRY-PICK SCORES… AND COLLEGES CAN CHERRY-PICK STUDENTS


Once you have established your baseline scores, you have several options.  If your starting scores are modest and all of the colleges you are considering are test-optional, you might choose to focus your time and energy enhancing other parts of your application.  If your starting scores are outstanding, you might begin to research scholarship opportunities to determine if fine tuning your results could result in a higher award.  And if your scores are starting from a good place but could be stronger, you might elect to dedicate some time and effort to improving them.  When it comes time to submit scores, you’ll opt to send them to the colleges where they will help differentiate your application, and strategically withhold them from schools where they will not strengthen your case for admission. 


While test-optional admissions is generally good news for students, it is often good news for selective colleges and universities as well.  With one perceived barrier to entry removed, more students felt encouraged to submit applications to some of the most highly selective colleges and universities last year, leading to some of the highest applicant numbers and lowest rates of admission on record.  Colgate more than doubled its applicant pool in a single year.  Duke saw its acceptance rate plummet from 11.4% to 5.7%, MIT from 7.3% to 4.0%, and similar drops were seen across the spectrum of highly selective colleges and universities.


As you pick your way through all the advice you are receiving, remember that in a test-optional climate, your scores can only serve to advance your cause. High scores can help you stand out in a crowded admissions field, authenticate your ability to handle university-level work, and potentially draw scholarship dollars. So, give the tests a try and see if either the SAT or ACT could enhance your application or provide a path towards merit based aid.


Share by: