As high school students, our number-one goal that’s always on our mind is getting into college. Every single thing we do is acted upon with great consideration because our acceptance to our dream university depends on it. Within the four years, students need to write a personal statement, get recommendation letters, practice for an interview, and, of course, complete their SATs and ACTs. But, in recent years, more and more universities are going “test-optional,” meaning they no longer require applicants to complete the SATs and ACTs.
According to Empowerly, in states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, fewer than 5% of students take the SAT. This is in stark contrast to the twelve other states, which report over 90% of students sitting for the exam. The ACT has seen a similar decline in recent years. As stated by CNN, “Only about 1.4 million students took the ACT in 2023, compared to 1.7 million in 2019.” The decline in participation rates for both the SAT and ACT signals ongoing shifts in how students approach the college admissions process and the importance they place on standardized testing.
Such changes may result from heavy criticisms that the SAT has been subject to for wrongfully representing a student’s intelligence. Gwinnett Magazine reports that the SAT can’t accurately measure whether a student is worthy of attending her chosen school, as she may be very intelligent but just be a bad test-taker.
“A single test should not define a student’s entire academic career,” the magazine states.
On the other hand, some claim that not submitting SAT scores can put students at a disadvantage when applying to universities. “If your high school GPA is on the lower side and you elect not to submit test scores, you may lower your chances of an acceptance letter from the admissions office,” Forbes reports.
The thought of whether or not to submit SAT scores is a prevalent source of stress for students at Tenafly High School. Rotem Landau (’27) has confessed that the university application process is something that is always on her mind.
“If you don’t attach [the SAT], then it seems like you didn’t really make an effort,” she said.
However, Landau also acknowledges the other side of the argument, noting that submitting SAT scores could offer a significant advantage when applying to competitive colleges, especially in a landscape where strong academic performance is highly valued.
All in all, the shift from required testing to optional exams has sparked many debates between students and educators. While many applaud the decision for reducing pressure and providing a more holistic view of applicants, others see standardized tests as a valuable tool for students to boost their applications, especially when their GPAs may not reflect their full potential. After considering all the factors at hand, it will be up to the students to make their respective decisions.
