Standardized Testing and College Admissions
-April 13, 2010-Comments (0)
If you read Jeanette M. Brooks' article "This Is a Test, Only a Test" in the April 2010 issue of ParentLife, you might have been encouraged by perspective it gave related to standardized testing in schools. But you may be asking yourself, "What about college admissions? Don't test scores affect college admissions?" Jeanette has insight into that question as well.
Many of the nation’s high schools — as well as middle and elementary schools — have started to re-examine their philosophy on standardized testing. And they are in good company. In fact, the National Center for Fair and Open Testing reported in 2009 that more than 815 colleges and universities in the United States no longer require most applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores. The reasons are varied, but many institutions cite concerns that standardized tests under-predict the success of women, minorities, non-native speakers of English, and students from lower-income families — not to mention the unnecessary stress they place on college-aspiring high-schoolers.Even among colleges who still use standardized test scores, the trend is toward the consideration of the “whole package.” In other words, admissions decisions often are based more on a broad array of personal qualities. Standardized tests are no longer the gatekeeper to higher learning like they once were.
How do you feel about standardized tests? Does your child test well? Share your thoughts with us and other ParentLife readers by leaving a comment.
