“Test-Optional,” is considered the new norm for college admissions.
In 1969 a small Maine college announced that submitting SAT or ACT scores was optional. It took 40 years to catch on, but today, 1,900 of the 4,300 U.S. colleges and universities have a “test-optional” policy. These include small liberal arts colleges to Ivy League schools. You can get into a great college without taking these tests.
So, why take the SAT or ACT if you don’t need to submit a score?
The SAT or ACT can help you, but it cannot hurt you.
Here are the three most important facts about these exams:
- A strong SAT /ACT score improves your chances of getting into your “reach” schools.
- A strong SAT/ACT score qualifies you for merit-based financial aid.
- A bad SAT /ACT score cannot hurt you.
For a student with a GPA at or below a college’s acceptance rate, a good SAT/ACT score will help push them toward the top. Also, schools use merit-based financial aid to attract the most “desirable” students, those with the best academic track record. Those students are statistically likely to do well and ultimately become donors.
How do you become one of these most “desirable” students? Excellent grades, substantial extracurricular activities, and high test scores (even if they are optional). In many cases, a weak semester or two can be mitigated by a strong SAT or ACT score.
You can take the SAT or ACT as many times as you like, and you never have to report any score unless you are happy with it.
Think about that for a second.
That fact should remove any pressure surrounding the test, and yet so many students lose sometimes hundreds of points due to the anxiety and stress they needlessly take on their shoulders.
Contact me directly if you want to learn more about the SAT or ACT exams and how to best prepare for them.
Dr. Nathan Hurwitz
